Meaning and Usage
"明らか" (あきらか) means "clear" or "obvious." It is often used to express that something is evident or unmistakable based on facts or appearance.
Common Contexts
It frequently appears in formal and informal speech to emphasize clarity or certainty, such as in judgments, explanations, or descriptions of attitudes.
Collocations and Patterns
- 明らかに + adjective/verb: used to emphasize the obviousness of a state or action (e.g., 明らかに間違っている - clearly wrong).
- 明らかにする: a common phrase meaning "to clarify" or "to make something clear."
Nuances
Using 明らか implies that the speaker believes there is no doubt about the statement. It is stronger than just "わかる" (to understand) because it stresses obviousness.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 明らか with words like はっきり, which also mean "clear." 明らか is more formal and often used in written or serious contexts, while はっきり is more casual and can refer to clarity of sound or appearance as well.