Usage note
明白表示理解清楚。
míng bái biǎo shì lǐ jiě qīng chǔ。
明白 means to understand clearly.
Context note
明白常出现在解释、提问和确认里。
míng bái cháng chū xiàn zài jiě shì 、 tí wèn hé què rèn lǐ。
Understanding often appears in explanations, questions, and confirmation.
5 examples
我明白了。
wǒ míng bái le。
I understand.
你明白吗？
nǐ míng bái ma？
Do you understand?
这件事很明白。
zhè jiàn shì hěn míng bái。
This matter is very clear.
老师讲得很明白。
lǎo shī jiǎng dé hěn míng bái。
The teacher explained very clearly.
我还不太明白。
wǒ hái bú tài míng bái。
I still do not quite understand.
5 mini stories
老师再解释一次以后，我终于明白了。
lǎo shī zài jiě shì yí cì yǐ hòu， wǒ zhōng yú míng bái le。
After the teacher explained it again, I finally understood.
你明白这个字的意思吗？
nǐ míng bái zhè ge zì de yì sī ma？
Do you understand the meaning of this character?
妈妈讲得很明白，所以我很快就会了。
mā ma jiǎng dé hěn míng bái， suǒ yǐ wǒ hěn kuài jiù huì le。
Mom explained it very clearly, so I learned it quickly.
我把问题问清楚以后，事情就明白了。
wǒ bǎ wèn tí wèn qīng chǔ yǐ hòu， shì qíng jiù míng bái le。
After I asked the question clearly, the matter became clear.
不明白的时候可以多问。
bù míng bái de shí hòu kě yǐ duō wèn。
When you do not understand, you can ask more.
Mini dialogue
你明白吗？
A
老师刚才说的，你明白了吗？
Lǎoshī gāngcái shuō de, nǐ míngbái le ma?
Do you understand what the teacher just said?
B
我明白了，谢谢你。
Wǒ míngbái le, xièxiè nǐ.
I understand, thank you.
解释一下
A
这个词的意思我不明白。
Zhège cí de yìsi wǒ bù míngbái.
I don't understand the meaning of this word.
B
让我画个图，你就明白了。
Ràng wǒ huà gè tú, nǐ jiù míngbái le.
Let me draw a picture, then you will understand.
Related words and contrasts
similar
懂
dǒng
to understand; to know
Both mean 'to understand'. 明白 often implies clarity, while 懂 is general understanding.
similar
清楚
qīng chǔ
clear; to be clear about
清楚 means 'clear' and can be used similarly to 明白 when you grasp something clearly.