clean up
ينظف
직역: to make clean and finish the action completely
Use `clean up` to describe restoring order to a messy room, situation, or even yourself.
15초 만에
- To make a messy area neat and tidy again.
- Can be used for physical spaces or personal appearance.
- Commonly used after an activity that created a mess.
뜻
When you 'clean up', you aren't just dusting a shelf; you are making an entire area neat, organized, and tidy again after a mess was made.
주요 예문
3 / 6After a family dinner
Can you help me clean up the kitchen before we watch the movie?
Can you help me clean up the kitchen before we watch the movie?
Preparing for a guest
I need to clean up a bit before my parents arrive.
I need to clean up a bit before my parents arrive.
In a professional office
Please ensure we clean up the conference room after the presentation.
Please ensure we clean up the conference room after the presentation.
문화적 배경
In many English-speaking households, the 'clean up' process is a shared responsibility after meals. The phrase also gained popularity in the mid-20th century in business to describe 'cleaning up' corruption or messy accounting.
The 'It' Rule
Always put 'it' or 'them' in the middle. Say 'Clean it up,' never 'Clean up it.' It's a small mistake that makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Don't confuse with 'Clean out'
To 'clean up' a closet means to organize it. To 'clean out' a closet means to empty it and throw things away. Don't accidentally tell someone to empty their house!
15초 만에
- To make a messy area neat and tidy again.
- Can be used for physical spaces or personal appearance.
- Commonly used after an activity that created a mess.
What It Means
Clean up is more than just cleaning. It implies finishing a job. It means taking a messy room and making it look perfect again. You are removing dirt, putting things away, and restoring order. Think of it as the 'reset' button for your environment.
How To Use It
You can use it as a general verb. You can also split it up. For example, you can clean up the room or clean the room up. Both are totally fine. If you use a pronoun like it, you must put it in the middle: clean it up. Don't say clean up it or your friends might look at you funny!
When To Use It
Use it whenever a mess exists. Use it after a big dinner party. Use it when your kids leave toys everywhere. It is perfect for the office when a meeting ends. You can even use it for yourself. If you look messy, you might need to clean up before a date. It’s a very versatile phrase for daily life.
When NOT To Use It
Don't use it for deep, professional sterilization. A surgeon doesn't just clean up before surgery; they 'scrub in'. Also, avoid using it for a single tiny speck of dust. If you just wipe one crumb, you are 'wiping', not 'cleaning up'. It usually refers to a larger task or a whole space.
Cultural Background
In Western culture, 'cleaning up' is often a social contract. If you go to a friend's house for dinner, offering to help clean up is the ultimate polite move. It shows you value their effort. In sports or gambling, clean up has a fun slang meaning. It means to win a lot of money or all the prizes very easily.
Common Variations
You will often hear clean up your act. This doesn't mean washing your hands. It means improving your behavior or working harder. There is also a clean-up crew, which refers to the specific people hired to fix a mess after a big event like a concert.
사용 참고사항
The phrase is neutral and safe for almost any situation. Just remember that it is a 'separable' phrasal verb, meaning objects can go in the middle or at the end.
The 'It' Rule
Always put 'it' or 'them' in the middle. Say 'Clean it up,' never 'Clean up it.' It's a small mistake that makes you sound much more like a native speaker.
Don't confuse with 'Clean out'
To 'clean up' a closet means to organize it. To 'clean out' a closet means to empty it and throw things away. Don't accidentally tell someone to empty their house!
The Polite Guest
In the US and UK, asking 'Can I help you clean up?' is one of the nicest things you can say to a host. Even if they say no, they will appreciate you asking!
예시
6Can you help me clean up the kitchen before we watch the movie?
Can you help me clean up the kitchen before we watch the movie?
Standard use for tidying a room after use.
I need to clean up a bit before my parents arrive.
I need to clean up a bit before my parents arrive.
Implies a general tidying of the whole house.
Please ensure we clean up the conference room after the presentation.
Please ensure we clean up the conference room after the presentation.
Professional expectation of maintaining shared spaces.
Dude, you really need to clean up your mess in the lounge.
Dude, you really need to clean up your mess in the lounge.
Direct and informal communication between peers.
The dog found the spilled flour and really cleaned up... by eating it all.
The dog found the spilled flour and really cleaned up... by eating it all.
A play on words suggesting the dog 'removed' the mess.
He really needs to clean up his life and start making better choices.
He really needs to clean up his life and start making better choices.
Metaphorical use meaning to fix personal problems.
셀프 테스트
Choose the correct way to use the pronoun 'it' with the phrase.
The living room is a disaster! Please ___.
When using a pronoun like 'it' with a phrasal verb like 'clean up', the pronoun must go between the verb and the particle.
Identify the best context for this phrase.
After the party ended, we spent two hours ___.
'Cleaning up' is the standard expression for tidying a space after an event.
🎉 점수: /2
시각 학습 자료
Formality of 'Clean up'
Used with friends or family.
Clean up your toys!
Standard daily use in most situations.
I'll clean up the office.
In professional or legal contexts.
The company must clean up the site.
When to use 'Clean up'
After eating
Clear the table and wash dishes.
Personal grooming
Shaving or fixing hair before an event.
Environmental
Picking up litter in a park.
Financial/Slang
Winning all the money at poker.
자주 묻는 질문
10 질문'Clean' is the general action of removing dirt. 'Clean up' usually means the whole process of tidying a mess and putting things back in their places.
Yes! You can say 'I need to clean up' if you are sweaty or messy and want to wash your face or change clothes.
Absolutely. It is a neutral phrase. You can tell a colleague, 'Let's clean up the breakroom' without sounding too casual.
This is an idiom meaning you need to improve your behavior or start following the rules. For example, 'If he doesn't clean up his act, he will lose his job.'
Yes, this is a very common use. It means to wipe up the liquid and make the floor or table dry again.
Use two words clean up for the verb (the action). Use one word cleanup for the noun (the event), like 'The park cleanup starts at 9 AM.'
It's slang for winning everything. If a movie wins 10 Oscars, people say 'That movie really cleaned up tonight!'
Yes, you can clean up your hard drive by deleting old files and organizing your folders.
It depends on your tone. 'Clean up your room!' sounds like a parent scolding a child. 'Could you help clean up?' is very polite.
They are very similar. 'Tidy up' is more common in British English and usually implies moving objects to look neat, while 'clean up' often involves soap and water too.
관련 표현
tidy up
To put things in their correct places to make a room look neat.
straighten up
To make a quick effort to make a room look organized, usually for guests.
spruce up
To make something look more attractive or fresh with small changes.
clear away
To remove objects (like dishes) from a surface after they have been used.
댓글 (0)
로그인하여 댓글 달기무료로 언어 학습 시작하기
무료로 학습 시작