noun
honorable poverty; poverty without greed
Refers to a state of being poor but living honestly and contentedly, without selfish desire. Often carries a positive, almost moral connotation.
彼は清貧の生活を選んだ。
He chose a life of honorable poverty.
清貧に甘んじる。
To be content with honest poverty.
貧乏 is a general, neutral-to-negative term for poverty or being poor, while 清貧 specifically implies a morally upright, self-chosen poverty without greed.
Compound of 清 (pure, clean) and 貧 (poverty). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of 'pure poverty' or poverty untainted by selfish desire.