说明 (shuōmíng)

说明 is one of the most common verbs for explaining or clarifying in Chinese, and as a noun it refers to explanatory text, instructions, or descriptions.

Meanings

[verb] to explain; to illustrate; to indicate; to show
[noun] explanation; instructions; description; manual

Example Sentences

请说明你为什么选择这个专业。 Qǐng shuōmíng nǐ wèishénme xuǎnzé zhège zhuānyè. Please explain why you chose this major.

这份产品说明书写得非常清楚。 Zhè fèn chǎnpǐn shuōmíngshū xiě de fēicháng qīngchǔ. This product instruction manual is written very clearly.

这些数据说明市场需求正在增长。 Zhèxiē shùjù shuōmíng shìchǎng xūqiú zhèngzài zēngzhǎng. These figures show that market demand is growing.

老师详细说明了考试的规则和要求。 Lǎoshī xiángxì shuōmíng le kǎoshì de guīzé hé yāoqiú. The teacher explained the exam rules and requirements in detail.

能做到这一点，说明你已经掌握了核心技能。 Néng zuòdào zhè yī diǎn, shuōmíng nǐ yǐjīng zhǎngwò le héxīn jìnéng. Being able to do this shows that you have already mastered the core skills.

请附上简短的说明，介绍你的研究背景。 Qǐng fùshàng jiǎnduǎn de shuōmíng, jièshào nǐ de yánjiū bèijǐng. Please attach a brief description introducing your research background.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
说明书 (shuōmíngshū)	instruction manual
加以说明 (jiāyǐ shuōmíng)	to give an explanation
说明问题 (shuōmíng wèntí)	to illustrate the problem
需要说明 (xūyào shuōmíng)	it needs to be noted that
详细说明 (xiángxì shuōmíng)	to explain in detail

Usage Notes

说明 is extremely versatile as both a verb and a noun. As a verb it can mean "to explain" (to a person), "to indicate/show" (with data or evidence as subject), or "to illustrate." As a noun it often appears in the compound 说明书 (instruction manual, product guide).

Distinguish 说明 from 解释 (jiěshì): 说明 focuses on describing or illustrating facts; 解释 often implies defending or justifying something, or clarifying a misunderstanding.

Memory Hook

说 (to speak/say) + 明 (to make clear/bright): speaking until something is clear -- to explain.