impure

IPA/ɪmˈpjʊə(r)/
KK[ˌɪmpjˈʊr]IPA/ɪmˈpjʊr/

impure — adjective

  • impurepositive
  • more impurecomparative
  • most impuresuperlative

1. containing one or more unwanted materials that lower its quality or make it unsu

1.形容詞B2
釋義

containing one or more unwanted materials that lower its quality or make it unsuitable for its intended use.

例句

The village well was found to contain impure water with dangerous bacteria.

impure + noun describing contamination with health risk

Tamás refused the chocolate bar that used impure ingredients from a damaged batch.

impure ingredients causing rejection of food

同義詞
  • contaminated

    stronger negative connotation, often implies dangerous germs or toxins

  • adulterated

    formal; suggests deliberate addition of cheaper or inferior substances

  • tainted

    suggests the substance has been spoiled or corrupted by contact with something unpleasant

反義詞
  • pure

    free from any unwanted substances; the direct opposite of this sense

文法句型

impure + noun (substance/material)

linking verb + impure

常見錯誤

❌The water is impure with bacteria.
✅The water is impure because it contains bacteria.
💡'impure' describes the state, not the mixing agent; use 'because' or 'containing' instead of 'with' to link the cause.
❌This diamond is impure of carbon.
✅This diamond contains carbon impurities.
💡'impure' is not followed by 'of'; use 'contains [substance] impurities' instead.

2. relating to sexual activity, thoughts, or desires that a particular society or m

2.形容詞C1
釋義

relating to sexual activity, thoughts, or desires that a particular society or moral system considers unacceptable or sinful.

例句

Rania's grandmother warned that impure thoughts would disturb a person's peace of mind at night.

impure + thoughts in moral/religious context

Tunde's parents sent him to a religious school to escape impure city influences.

impure + influences in a protective context

同義詞
  • sinful

    stronger religious connotation; implies violation of divine law rather than social norms

  • lewd

    more explicit and cruder; describes openly sexual behaviour or speech

  • unchaste

    archaic or literary; refers specifically to sexual purity, especially in women

反義詞
  • chaste

    refraining from sexual activity considered wrong; the traditional opposite in moral contexts

文法句型

impure + noun (thoughts, feelings, behaviour, acts)

consider + noun + impure

用法筆記

Frequently found in religious, traditional, or formal moral contexts. Less commonly used in everyday conversation about sex; 'inappropriate' or 'improper' are more neutral alternatives.

常見錯誤

❌He had impure feelings about the exam.
✅He had dishonest intentions about the exam.
💡'impure' in this sense relates specifically to sexual morality, not general wrongdoing.
❌That movie is impure.
✅That movie contains inappropriate content.
💡'impure' is not used to describe media content in modern English; use 'inappropriate' or 'explicit.'

3. considered unclean or forbidden according to the rules of a religion, especially

3.形容詞C1
釋義

considered unclean or forbidden according to the rules of a religion, especially concerning food, physical contact, or participation in ceremonies.

例句

According to Jewish dietary laws, pork is considered impure and may not be eaten.

consider + noun + impure in religious dietary law

The temple priests performed cleansing rituals before touching any object they regarded as impure.

regard + noun + impure (religious purification context)

同義詞
  • unclean

    the more common term for ritual impurity in religious contexts; directly synonymous

  • defiled

    stronger, implies the sacred state has been violated or corrupted

  • taboo

    broader; can describe secular social prohibitions as well as religious ones

反義詞
  • pure

    ritually clean and acceptable for worship; the opposite in religious contexts

  • sacred

    holy or set apart for religious purposes; opposite in the sense of ritual status

文法句型

impure + noun (animal, food, person)

consider + noun + impure (in religious context)

用法筆記

This sense is almost exclusively used in discussions of religious practice and ritual law. Distinguish from sense 1 (CONTAMINATED) — ritual impurity is not about physical dirtiness but about spiritual or ceremonial status.

常見錯誤

❌Don't eat that fruit, it's impure.
✅Don't eat that fruit, it's not clean / it's contaminated.
💡In everyday situations, 'impure' in the ritual sense sounds unnatural; use 'contaminated' or 'dirty.'
❌I feel impure after walking in the rain.
✅I feel unclean / dirty after walking in the rain.
💡'impure' in the ritual sense is too strong for everyday situations about physical dirt.