to explain; explanation; instructions
HSK level
说明 is written with 17 strokes (说: 9, 明: 8). The animation replays automatically.
说明 (shuōmíng) is both a verb, 'to explain, to make clear, to demonstrate,' and a noun, 'explanation' or 'instructions.'
As a verb it covers two ideas English keeps apart: explaining something so a listener understands it (向他说明情况 — explain the situation to him), and a fact serving as evidence that proves a point (这说明他没来 — this shows/proves he didn't come). That second sense — 'X 说明 Y,' meaning 'X indicates/demonstrates Y' — has no single English verb and trips up learners. As a noun, 说明 is the written documentation that accompanies a product: 说明书 is an instruction manual.
It is neutral in register. Note it is 'explain and make clear' rather than 'explain a reason for'; for reasons you often want 解释 instead.
Note: Works in speech and writing. As a noun it labels printed documentation — 产品说明 (product instructions), 使用说明 (usage guide) — so it feels slightly formal in that sense.
Character by character
Memory hook: To 'speak clear' (说 + 明) — to explain until it is bright and understood.
请你说明一下这个词的意思。
Qǐng nǐ shuōmíng yíxià zhège cí de yìsi.
Please explain what this word means.
spoken
买手机的时候记得看说明书。
Mǎi shǒujī de shíhou jìdé kàn shuōmíngshū.
Remember to read the manual when you buy a phone.
spoken
这件事说明他真的很努力。
Zhè jiàn shì shuōmíng tā zhēnde hěn nǔlì.
This shows that he really works hard.
neutral
报告里详细说明了实验的过程。
Bàogào lǐ xiángxì shuōmíng le shíyàn de guòchéng.
The report explains the experiment's process in detail.
written
解释 explains a reason, meaning, or excuse — often defensive ('let me explain why'). 说明 clarifies facts or serves as evidence. You 解释 a misunderstanding but 说明 a procedure.
表明 means 'to make clear / express (one's stance or attitude).' 说明 leans toward explaining facts or proving a point. Use 表明立场 for stating a position, 说明原因 for explaining a cause.
Acquire it by listening
Fluentide turns real news into Chinese listening at your exact level, so words like 说明 show up again and again in natural sentences — with pinyin and translation every time. No flashcards. Free to start.
