Words
describe vs explain — what it looks like vs why it works
A side-by-side comparison of meaning, examples, and nuance.
describe
/dɪˈskraɪb/
explain, portray
To say what someone or something is like.
explain
/ɪkˈspleɪn/
make clear, give reasons
To make something clear by describing or giving reasons.
Core difference
"Describe" paints a picture in words — what it looks, sounds, or feels like: "Can you describe your hometown?" "Explain" gives reasons or shows how something works: "Can you explain how this app works?"
Translations of describe and explain in 14 languages
| Language | describe | explain |
|---|---|---|
| 한국어 | 묘사하다, 설명하다 | 설명하다 |
| English | explain, portray | make clear, give reasons |
| 简体中文 | 描述，描写 | 解释，说明 |
| 繁體中文 | 描述，描寫 | 解釋，說明 |
| 日本語 | 描写する、説明する | 説明する |
| Tiếng Việt | miêu tả, mô tả | giải thích |
| Português | descrever | explicar |
| Français | décrire | expliquer |
| Deutsch | beschreiben | erklären |
| Español | describir | explicar |
| Монгол | тодорхойлох, дүрслэх | тайлбарлах |
| Bahasa Indonesia | menggambarkan, menjelaskan | menjelaskan |
| Bahasa Melayu | menerangkan, menggambarkan | menjelaskan |
| ไทย | อธิบาย, บรรยาย | อธิบาย |
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