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假定 (jiǎ dìng) — to assume; to suppose

Definition

假定 means 'to assume, to suppose' — treating something as true for the sake of argument, stronger and more formal than the near-synonym 假设. 所谓 is a different word: it means 'so-called' and labels a term rather than assuming a fact.

verb
to assumeto suppose

Examples

  • 假定，。
    jiǎ dìng Míng tiān bú xià yǔ, wǒ men qù gōng yuán.
    Suppose it doesn't rain tomorrow, we will go to the park.
  • 假定，。
    jiǎ dìng Tā shì duì de, nà wǒ men yīng gāi zhī chí tā.
    Assuming he is right, then we should support him.
  • 假定，。
    Wǒ men jiǎ dìng zhè ge jì huà méi wèn tí, dàn hái xū yào jiǎn chá.
    We assume this plan is fine, but we still need to check it.

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.

假jiǎprovisional
定dìngdecide

假 means provisional and 定 means decide, so the word means to assume or suppose.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
叚
叚jiǎ假jiǎ
Same sound today

假 pairs 亻 (person) with 叚, which gives the sound jiǎ.

Open 假 →

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
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Thinking & Cognition

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.