The word **明知** is a classical Chinese compound formed by combining the adverb **明** (míng, meaning "clearly" or "brightly") with the verb **知** (zhī, meaning "to know"). It follows a grammatical structure where the first character modifies the second, creating the meaning "to know clearly" or "to be fully aware." This term has been lexicalized over time to specifically convey the nuanced idea of **knowingly** or **deliberately** acting with prior awareness of a fact or consequence, often carrying a sense of doing so despite that knowledge, as seen in common phrases like 明知故问 (asking despite knowing) and 明知故犯 (violating a rule deliberately).