Translation guide
The English word 'clearly' is used to indicate that something is easy to see, understand, or perceive, or to emphasize the obviousness of a statement. In Japanese, the translation depends on the specific nuance: visual clarity, clarity of expression, obviousness, or the discourse marker 'clearly' used for emphasis.
Speak clearly.
I can see it clearly.
Clearly, he is wrong.
Describing something that can be seen or heard without difficulty.
An adverb meaning 'clearly', 'distinctly'. Used for both visual and auditory clarity. Very common and versatile.
I can see the distant mountains clearly.
Emphasizes a sharp, well-defined outline or contrast, often used for visual clarity like a silhouette or printed text.
Formal or technical term for 'clearly', often used in written language or formal speech.
Indicating that something is said or written in a way that is easy to understand.
Used to emphasize that something is obviously true or evident.
Means 'clearly' in the sense of 'obviously'. Used when stating something that is evident from facts or situation.
Using 'clearly' at the beginning of a sentence to emphasize a point or express that something is obvious, often with a tone of impatience or sarcasm.
Direct translation, works in many contexts. Can sound formal or emphatic.
はっきり is used for sensory clarity (seeing, hearing) and for expressing things clearly. 明らかに is used for logical obviousness or when stating a fact that is evident. Using 明らかに for visual clarity would be unnatural.
I can hear the voice clearly.
I could hear his voice clearly.
月がくっきり見える。
The moon is clearly visible.
The audio is recorded clearly.
Also used for clarity of expression. 'はっきり言う' means 'to say clearly'.
Please say it clearly.
His explanation was clear.
Means 'clearly' in the sense of 'explicitly' or 'unequivocally'. Often used in formal contexts.
Explain the rules clearly.
Literally 'in an easy-to-understand way'. A natural way to say 'clearly' when focusing on the listener's comprehension.
Please speak clearly (in an easy-to-understand way).
He is clearly wrong.
Clearly, that is his responsibility.
Literally 'no matter how you look at it', used to express that something is clearly the case. Colloquial.
Clearly, he is at fault.
Means 'undoubtedly' or 'without a doubt'. More emphatic and formal.
This is clearly the best work.
Clearly, he has no motivation.
Literally 'no matter how you think about it', used to stress that something is obvious. More conversational.
Clearly, that's impossible.
In casual conversation, 'clearly' can be conveyed through tone and particles rather than a direct adverb. For example, 〜じゃん (from 〜じゃない) implies 'isn't it obvious?'.
That's clearly impossible, isn't it?
明らかに彼が正しい。
Clearly, he is right.
明確に is formal and often used in business or academic contexts. In everyday conversation, はっきり or 分かりやすく are more natural.