HSK 7
分明
fēn míng
分明 (clearly, evidently)
Explanation
分明 (fēnmíng) is a mood adverb (a modifying word that expresses the attitude of the sentence) meaning "clearly, plainly," firmly asserting that something is exactly so, often carrying a tone of surprise, indignation, or rebuttal.
subject + 分明 + verb/predicate phrase; the pattern 分明是 (fēnmíng shì, clearly is) is often used to expose the true nature of something.
when the speaker is certain that what they witnessed/judged is correct, but reality contradicts it or someone else denies it, so it is used for emphasis or to challenge.
明明 (míngmíng) is nearly synonymous and leans more toward colloquial speech; 分明 is slightly more formal and can also be used in the sense of "clearly distinguished" (as in 黑白分明, black and white clearly separated), which 明明 cannot.
placing 分明 after the verb (wrong — it is an adverb and must stand before the predicate); using it in an ordinary sentence with no sense of rebuttal/surprise, making the emphatic tone redundant.
Examples
I clearly saw him walking over, so how did he vanish all at once?
Making me finish it in three days — you are clearly making things difficult for me.
Practice
Test your understanding with a quick quiz
Learn “分明” effectively
The grammar point “分明” (分明 (clearly, evidently)) is one of the key structures at HSK 7. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
Study tip: read the examples aloud many times to build a natural reflex. Then try making your own sentences for your own situations. Use the audio button to hear and practice accurate pronunciation.
You can also view the full “” lesson to understand the related grammar and vocabulary more deeply.