qīng chu
clear
我很清楚这件事。
wǒ hěn qīngchu zhe jiàn shì.
I am very clear about this matter.
你把话说清楚一点。
nǐ bǎ huà shuō qīngchu yīdiǎn.
Please make your words clearer.
我不知道你在说什么，请说清楚。
wǒ bù zhīdào nǐ zài shuō shénme, qǐng shuō qīngchu.
I don't know what you are talking about, please make it clear.
明白 (míngbái)
understand
清楚 (qīngchǔ)
clear
模糊 (mó hu)
vague
含糊 (hán hu)
ambiguous
Track your progress, master characters, and achieve your Chinese language goals.
Get Started Free
The Chinese word 清楚 (qīngchǔ) is composed of two characters: 清 (qīng) and 楚 (chǔ). The character 清 originally meant "clear water" or "pure water". In ancient Chinese culture, clear water was often associated with purity, cleanliness, and brightness. The character 楚 (chǔ) originally meant "distinct" or "obvious". When combined, the two characters 清楚 (qīngchǔ) took on the meaning of "clear and distinct", "obvious", or "unambiguous". Over time, the word 清楚 has come to be used in a broader sense to mean "clear", "understandable", or "intelligible". It can be used to describe a person's speech, writing, or thinking, or to describe a situation or event that is easy to understand.
