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明明白白 (míng míng bái bái) — obvious; crystal clear

Definition

Reduplicated AA BB form used as an adverb or predicate to mean 'out in the open, leaving no doubt' — stronger than just 'clear' and often collocates with 看得/听得/写得. Negate with 不∼, not 没∼.

bound form
obviouscrystal clear

Examples

  • 明明白白。
    Tā de tài dù míng míng bái bái dì gào sù wǒ men tā bù tóng yì.
    His attitude told us clearly that he disagreed.
  • 明明白白，。
    Shì shí míng míng bái bái, bú yòng zài jiě shì le.
    The facts are crystal clear; no further explanation is needed.
  • 明明白白，。
    Tā bǎ yāo qiú xiě dé míng míng bái bái, shuí dōu bú huì nòng cuò.
    She wrote the requirements so clearly that no one would get it wrong.

Origin

Reduplicated word
构词法gòucífǎ
重叠chóngdiéReduplication

A syllable said twice — for affection, for softness, or simply because that is how the word is said.

明明clear
明míngclear明míngclear
白白clear
白báiclear白báiclear

The clear 明 and 白 are repeated to stress that something is completely obvious.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), showing the sun just rising while the moon has not yet set, or two bright objects in the sky, to express brightness.

Open 明 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

明 combines 日 (sun) and 月 (moon), showing the sun just rising while the moon has not yet set, or two bright objects in the sky, to express brightness.

Open 明 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

白 is thought to picture either an acorn or a human head.

Open 白 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

白 is thought to picture either an acorn or a human head.

Open 白 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesGood & Bad

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