patent

Compared meaning: easy to see or understand (adjective).

比较义项：明显的，容易看出或理解的（形容词）。

• evident

  Signals a conclusion drawn from visible signs or evidence; often used with 'it was evident that' or 'evident in'; neutral, somewhat formal tone.

  表示根据可见的迹象或证据得出的明显结论；常用于“it was evident that”或“evident in”结构；语气中性，略正式。

  Her exhaustion was evident from the dark circles under her eyes.

  从她眼睛下的黑眼圈就能明显看出她很疲惫。

• apparent

  Describes something that becomes clear through observation, often hinting it may later prove otherwise; especially common in the phrase 'become apparent'.

  表示通过观察逐渐变得清楚的事情，有时暗示后来可能证明并非如此；尤其常见于“become apparent”这一搭配。

  It soon became apparent that the negotiations were going nowhere.

  很快就明显看出谈判毫无进展。

• obvious

  The plainest, most everyday word for something anyone would notice at once; can sound blunt and may imply the person should have already known.

  是最普通、最日常的说法，指任何人都能立刻注意到的明显；语气可能较直接，有时暗示对方本该早就知道。

  It was obvious he was lying because he wouldn't look anyone in the eye.

  他撒谎很明显，因为他不敢直视任何人的眼睛。

• patent 本词

  Formal and literary; typically describes something blatant and undeniable, especially something bad, dishonest, or absurd.

  正式且带文学色彩，通常用来形容明目张胆、不容否认的事情，尤指坏事、谎言或荒谬之事。

  The report's conclusions were a patent attempt to hide the company's losses.

  报告的结论显而易见是想掩盖公司的亏损。

All four mean easy to see or understand. Evident is based on visible signs. Apparent describes something clear through observation, but may later prove wrong. Obvious is the plainest word. Patent is formal, for something bad or dishonest, not its noun meaning 'a legal right'.

这四个词都表示“显而易见”，但侧重点和语气不同：evident 强调有可见的迹象或证据支持的明显；apparent 强调表面看起来明显（有时暗示与实际情况略有出入）；obvious 是最常用、最直接的说法；patent 语气正式，常用于强调坏事、谎言等负面情况的显而易见。这里不比较 patent 作名词表示“专利”的用法。