明白

• Reading: めいはく
• Romaji: meihaku
• Kanji breakdown: 明 (mei) — bright, clear; 白 (haku) — white, plain
• Pronunciation: /meː.hakɯ/

Meaning

Obvious; clear; evident. Something so plain that no explanation or proof is needed.

A na-adjective describing facts or situations that are undeniably clear. Stronger than 明らか (akiraka, apparent) — 明白 implies absolute certainty that no reasonable person could dispute. Common in formal arguments and legal contexts: 明白な事実 (plain fact), 明白な誤り (obvious error).

Examples

1. データを見れば、効果があったことは明白だ。 Looking at the data, it's obvious that it worked.
2. 彼が関わっていたことは明白な事実だ。 It's a plain fact that he was involved.
3. ルール違反であることは明白なのに、処分が軽すぎる。 It's obvious this is a rule violation, yet the punishment is too lenient.

Usage Guide

Context: legal, debate, academic

Tone: assertive

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 明 (mei, bright) + 白 (haku, white). The combination of brightness and whiteness evokes something fully illuminated with nothing hidden.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: Adults

Social background: Educated