Translation guide
How to express 'make clear' in Japanese, depending on whether you mean clarifying a statement, making a distinction obvious, or emphasizing a point.
He made his position clear.
Please make the rules clear.
Very common in everyday conversation. Implies making something clear, distinct, or unambiguous. Often used for personal opinions or vague situations.
I want him to make his opinion clear.
Let's make that point clear.
Often used for revealing or bringing something to light, such as facts or truths. Slightly more formal than はっきりさせる.
We need to make the truth clear.
Loanword from English 'clear'. Used in casual or business contexts, often for making conditions or criteria clear. Can sound slightly informal.
Please make the conditions clear.
To make something very clear by stressing it, often to avoid misunderstanding.
To clearly show the difference between two things or to define a limit.
Both mean 'to make clear', but 明確にする is more formal and often used for abstract concepts like positions or rules. はっきりさせる is more colloquial and used for making vague things distinct, like opinions or images.
Clarify the policy.
Make one's feelings clear.
Do not translate 'make' literally as 作る (つくる). 'Make clear' is not 明確を作る. Use the phrases above instead.
彼に念を押して、締め切りを明確にした。
I made the deadline clear by reminding him firmly.
You should make a clear distinction between public and private matters.