一干二净

1. Basic Information

• Pinyin: yì gān èr jìng
• English Translation: Completely, thoroughly, without a trace
• Idiom Composition: 「一」（One, completely）＋「干」（Dry, here means "to be exhausted"）＋「二」（Emphasizes repetition）＋「净」（Clean, spotless）
• Meaning: Originally, it described a state of being completely clean and spotless. By extension, it describes a situation where things have been dealt with completely, thoroughly, and without a trace.

2. Detailed Meaning and Nuances

「一干二净」 contains the following nuances:

• Completeness: Emphasizes the nuance of nothing being left, completely, and thoroughly.
• Cleanliness: Describes a state of being completely clean, with no dirt or unnecessary items.
• Lack of traces: Includes the nuance of being without a trace, as if nothing was there from the beginning.
• Swiftness: Often implies that something was handled quickly and efficiently.

3. Usage

「一干二净」 is mainly used in the following contexts:

• Cleaning and tidying up: Describes a room or place that has been cleaned completely.
  • Example:「他把房间打扫得一干二净，一点灰尘都没有。」
    （He cleaned the room spotlessly, leaving not a speck of dust.）
• Problem solving: Describes a state where a problem or issue has been completely resolved, with no lingering issues.
  • Example:「经过这次整顿，公司的风气焕然一新，一干二净。」
    （After this reorganization, the company's atmosphere was refreshed, and the problems were completely resolved.）
• Consumption of things: Describes a situation where food, drinks, money, etc., have been completely used up.
  • Example:「他把带来的零食吃得一干二净。」
    （He ate up all the snacks he brought, leaving none behind.）
• Destruction of evidence: Describes the complete erasure of evidence, leaving no trace behind.
  • Example:「他把所有的证据都销毁了，做得一干二净，让人无从查起。」
    （He destroyed all the evidence, doing it so thoroughly that it was impossible to investigate.）

Additional Examples:

1. 这场大雨把街道冲刷得一干二净，连一片落葉都找不到。
   （This heavy rain washed the streets completely clean, not even a single fallen leaf could be found.）
2. 她做事总是一干二净，从不拖泥带水。
   （She always does things thoroughly and never procrastinates.）
3. 他把钱输得一干二净，身无分文。
   （He lost all his money, completely broke.）
4. 敌人被我们消灭得一干二净。
   （The enemy was completely wiped out by us.）
5. 他把过去的事情忘得一干二净，开始新的生活。
   （He forgot everything about the past and started a new life.）

4. Cultural Background and Notes

• Awareness of cleanliness: In Chinese culture, cleanliness has been associated with health and good fortune and is highly valued. The idiom '一干二净' reflects this cultural background that reveres cleanliness.
• Emphasis on thoroughness: '一干二净' represents the value of doing things thoroughly and not halfway.
• Figurative usage: It is important to note that it is often used in a figurative sense, such as for problem-solving or destroying evidence, not just for physical cleanliness.

5. Similar and Opposite Idioms

• Similar Idioms:
  • 一尘不染 (yì chén bù rǎn): Spotless, extremely clean.
  • 干干净净 (gān gān jìng jìng): Very clean, neat.
• Opposite Idioms:
  • 拖泥带水 (tuō ní dài shuǐ): To be sloppy and inefficient, to drag things out.
  • 乱七八糟 (luàn qī bā zāo): Messy, jumbled.

6. Summary

'一干二净' is a convenient idiom that expresses 'completely' and 'thoroughly' in a wide range of situations, from physical cleanliness to the complete resolution of problems and the complete erasure of traces. Understanding the values of cleanliness and thoroughness in Chinese culture will help you use it appropriately according to the context.