<blockquote>
<p>明 = bright = clear (you see thing clearly in bright light)</p>
<p>确 = definite; unambiguous = clear (when there is no ambiguity, it is clear)</p>
<p><strong>明确</strong> = clear (<strong>clear and definite/ unambiguous</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>~</p>
<blockquote>
<p>清 = clear (when water is clear,  you can see things in it clearly)</p>
<p>楚 = neat = detailed; comprehensive (when things are neatly displayed, you can see the details)</p>
<p><strong>清楚</strong> = clear (<strong>clear and detailed/ comprehensive</strong>)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Example:</p>
<p>明确指引 - clear (and unambiguous) guidelines</p>
<p>清楚指引 - clear (and detailed) guidelines</p>
<p>目標明确 -  the goal is clear (and unambiguous)</p>
<p>目標清楚 - the goal is clear (and comprehensive)</p>
<p>More detailed example:</p>
<p>清楚說説每一個細節 - Clearly explain every detail (<em>everything you can think of and everything you can't think of is explained</em>)</p>
<p>明确指出今次行動的目標 - Clearly point out the target of this mission (<em>pointing out and confirm that guy is our target</em>)</p>
<p>Simply put, just remember  &quot;明确&quot; as unambiguously clear;  &quot;清楚&quot; as comprehensively clear.</p>
<p>Of course, the English word 'clear' implies both 'unambiguous' (e.g. <em>it is clearly him</em>) and 'comprehensive' (<em>e.g. everything clear?</em>). That's why both  &quot;明确&quot; and &quot;清楚&quot; can be translated as &quot;clear&quot;</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-03T09:34:57.583Z
2019-01-03T09:58:22.893Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>You might say, if you were looking at an object: 我看得清楚。</p>

<p>but not: 我看得明确。</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-04T01:53:51.223Z
2019-01-04T01:53:51.223Z
Pedroski
<p>I will give you a short answer:</p>

<p>清楚: Your eyes or ears feel clear;</p>

<p>明确: Your mind feels clear.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-04T03:29:48.533Z
2019-01-04T03:29:48.533Z
Hu Bin
<p>Both mean "clear", but in what way these two words are different? </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-03T08:51:25.087Z
@user6065 Unless the "user6065" account is auto-scripting answers and comments, there is no requirement for a question body text to repeat the characters from the heading in the question in Chinese SE policy. Please stop asking this from new users.
dROOOze
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-03T09:10:36.003Z
it would just mean doing a favour to users answering the question, being able to copy Chinese from question w/o using Chinese typing software would make writing answer easier
user6065
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-01-03T09:11:12.797Z
@user6065 You can copy text from heading, even they are inside a hyper-link. I did a simple test and found that you can select the text while pressing "Alt", on Windows in Chrome. You can then copy.
fefe
<difference>
What is the difference between 明确 and 清楚?
# What is the difference between 明确 and 清楚?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-01-03)

Both mean "clear", but in what way these two words are different?

**Tags:** difference
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: @user6065 Unless the "user6065" account is auto-scripting answers and comments, there is no requirement for a question body text to repeat the characters from the heading in the question in Chinese SE policy. Please stop asking this from new users.  
> **username_2**: it would just mean doing a favour to users answering the question, being able to copy Chinese from question w/o using Chinese typing software would make writing answer easier  
> **username_3**: @user6065 You can copy text from heading, even they are inside a hyper-link. I did a simple test and found that you can select the text while pressing "Alt", on Windows in Chrome. You can then copy.  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-01-03. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

> 明 = bright = clear (you see thing clearly in bright light)
>
> 确 = definite; unambiguous = clear (when there is no ambiguity, it is clear)
>
> **明确** = clear (**clear and definite/ unambiguous**)

~

> 清 = clear (when water is clear, you can see things in it clearly)
>
> 楚 = neat = detailed; comprehensive (when things are neatly displayed, you can see the details)
>
> **清楚** = clear (**clear and detailed/ comprehensive**)

Example:

明确指引 - clear (and unambiguous) guidelines

清楚指引 - clear (and detailed) guidelines

目標明确 - the goal is clear (and unambiguous)

目標清楚 - the goal is clear (and comprehensive)

More detailed example:

清楚說説每一個細節 - Clearly explain every detail (*everything you can think of and everything you can't think of is explained*)

明确指出今次行動的目標 - Clearly point out the target of this mission (*pointing out and confirm that guy is our target*)

Simply put, just remember "明确" as unambiguously clear; "清楚" as comprehensively clear.

Of course, the English word 'clear' implies both 'unambiguous' (e.g. *it is clearly him*) and 'comprehensive' (*e.g. everything clear?*). That's why both "明确" and "清楚" can be translated as "clear"


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### Answer by username_5 on 2019-01-04. Score: 0

You might say, if you were looking at an object: 我看得清楚。

but not: 我看得明确。


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### Answer by username_6 on 2019-01-04. Score: 0

I will give you a short answer:

清楚: Your eyes or ears feel clear;

明确: Your mind feels clear.


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