What is the difference between 明确 and 清楚? Both mean "clear", but in what way these two words are different?
明 = bright = clear (you see thing clearly in bright light)
确 = definite; unambiguous = clear (when there is no ambiguity, it is clear)
明确 = clear (clear and definite/ unambiguous)

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清 = clear (when water is clear,  you can see things in it clearly)
楚 = neat = detailed; comprehensive (when things are neatly displayed, you can see the details)
清楚 = clear (clear and detailed/ comprehensive)

Example:
明确指引 - clear (and unambiguous) guidelines
清楚指引 - clear (and detailed) guidelines
目標明确 -  the goal is clear (and unambiguous)
目標清楚 - the goal is clear (and comprehensive)
More detailed example:
清楚說説每一個細節 - Clearly explain every detail (everything you can think of and everything you can't think of is explained)
明确指出今次行動的目標 - Clearly point out the target of this mission (pointing out and confirm that guy is our target)
Simply put, just remember  &quot;明确&quot; as unambiguously clear;  &quot;清楚&quot; as comprehensively clear.
Of course, the English word 'clear' implies both 'unambiguous' (e.g. it is clearly him) and 'comprehensive' (e.g. everything clear?). That's why both  &quot;明确&quot; and &quot;清楚&quot; can be translated as &quot;clear&quot;