澄清
chéngqīng
To clarify in Chinese is 澄清 (chéngqīng).
The term 澄清 is used to clarify abstract concepts such as facts, rumors, doubts or misunderstandings, effectively making a murky situation transparent.
Meaning: (''transitive'') to make clear or easily understood (verb)
Which one should you use?
澄清 implies clearing up a misunderstanding or making a murky situation transparent, whereas 解释 is the more general term for 'to explain' a concept or reason. Additionally, 阐述 is a formal term meaning 'clarify' or 'elaborate' that emphasizes providing a detailed explanation.
How do you pronounce it?
chéngqīng
Did you know?
- In a business setting, using 澄清 can sometimes sound more confrontational than 解释 because it implies that something was previously 'muddy' or dishonest.
- The character 清 is the same one used in the name of the Qing Dynasty, though in that context it refers to 'purity' or 'clearness' rather than the act of clarifying a fact.
- The characters in 澄清 literally describe the process of sediment settling to the bottom of a liquid to make the water clear.
Examples in context
- 请澄清这个误解。Please clarify this misunderstanding.
- 请阐述您的观点。Please clarify your point of view.
- 你能否帮我弄清楚这个情况？Can you help me clarify this situation?
- 那我来澄清一下。Let me clarify it.
- 让我来阐述一下。Let me clarify it for you.
- 你能不能把这个问题弄清楚？Can you clarify this issue?
- 当然，我会帮你弄清楚的。Of course, I will help you clarify it.
- 我们需要澄清这个误会。Wǒmen xūyào chéngqīng zhège wùhuì.We need to clarify this misunderstanding.
- 请澄清一下你的立场。Qǐng chéngqīng yīxià nǐ de lìchǎng.Please clarify your position.
- 公司必须澄清事实真相。Gōngsī bìxū chéngqīng shìshí zhēnxiàng.The company must clarify the truth.
Example conversation
Two colleagues are discussing a misunderstanding about a project deadline.
- 志强 Zhiqiang梓涵，我想澄清一下截止日期。Zǐhán, wǒ xiǎng chéngqīng yīxià jiézhǐ rìqī.Zihan, I want to clarify the deadline.
- 梓涵 Zihan志强，你觉得日期不对吗？Zhìqiáng, nǐ juédé rìqī bùduì ma?Zhiqiang, do you think the date is wrong?
- 志强 Zhiqiang我以为是周五，不是周四。Wǒ yǐwéi shì zhōuwǔ, bùshì zhōusì.I thought it was Friday, not Thursday.
- 梓涵 Zihan没问题，我现在确认给你。Méi wèntí, wǒ xiànzài quèrèn gěi nǐ.No problem, I will confirm it for you now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “clarify” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
