Pure:
* Implies a lack of impurities, adulteration, or contamination at a fundamental level. It suggests something is unmixed, uncorrupted, and unadulterated.
* Often used for abstract concepts like emotions, intentions, and ideas. For example, "pure joy," "pure love," "pure evil."
* Can also be used for physical substances, like "pure water" (free of impurities) or "pure gold" (unmixed with other metals).
Clean:
* Refers to the absence of dirt, grime, stains, or other visible impurities on a surface. It emphasizes a lack of physical contamination.
* Mainly used for physical objects and environments. For example, "a clean room," "clean clothes," "clean hands."
* Can sometimes be used metaphorically for a state of being free from guilt, sin, or wrongdoing ("a clean conscience").
Here are some examples to illustrate the difference:
* Pure: The scientist analyzed a pure sample of water to study its properties.
* Clean: She washed her hands thoroughly to ensure they were clean.
* Pure: The artist expressed pure emotions through her paintings.
* Clean: The room was clean and tidy after the spring cleaning.
In essence:
* Pure implies a state of being free from anything that compromises the essence or integrity of something.
* Clean implies a state of being free from external contaminants or impurities on a surface.