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确信 (què xìn) — to be convinced, to firmly believe

Definition

确信 emphasizes the subject's firm internal conviction that something is true. Versus 坚信 (more about steadfast faith or loyalty over time) and 认定 (reached after investigation/evidence).

verb
to be convincedto firmly believe

Examples

  • 确信。
    Tā què xìn zì jǐ yí dìng néng chéng gōng.
    He is convinced that he will definitely succeed.
  • 确信。
    Wǒ què xìn zhè ge zhèng jù shì zhēn de.
    I firmly believe this evidence is real.
  • 确信？
    Nǐ què xìn tā huì àn shí dào dá ma?
    Are you convinced that she will arrive on time?

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

确quècertainly
信xìnbelieve

确 gives the sense of firmly or certainly, while 信 means to believe; together they describe being convinced.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 確; 确 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
石石shírock
Sound part声符shēngfú
隺
隺hè確què
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 確 combines 石, a rock, with 隺 for its sound; the idea is something rock-solid and certain. The simplified 确 is a shorthand.

Open 确 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánwords
Sound part声符shēngfú
人
人rén信xìn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

信 pairs 人 as the sound part with 言 (words) as the meaning part.

Open 信 →
Appears in
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