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明白 (めいはく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

明めい白はく

め

い

は

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

na-adjective

obvious; clear; evident

Describes something that is plainly true or unmistakable, often used in formal or logical contexts.

彼かれの嘘うそは明めい白はくだった。
His lie was obvious.
明めい白はくな証しょう拠こがないと起

き

訴そ

でき

ない

。

You cannot indict without clear evidence.

Kanji

明bright, light
白white

Similar words

明あきらか
Similar in meaning, but 明白 is more formal and emphasizes logical clarity, while 明らか is broader and more common in everyday speech.
明めい確かく
明確 means 'clear-cut' or 'precise', often used for definitions or distinctions, whereas 明白 focuses on obviousness of a fact or situation.

Etymology

Sino-Japanese compound of 明 (bright, clear) and 白 (white, clear). The combination reinforces the idea of clarity and obviousness.