千真万确 (qiān zhēn wàn què) — absolutely true; beyond any doubt

Definition

A chengyu meaning 'absolutely, undeniably true' — stronger than 确实, used to emphasize that something is 100% correct with no doubt.

idiom

absolutely truebeyond any doubt

Examples

千真万确，。
Zhè ge xiāo xi qiān zhēn wàn què, shì wǒ qīn yǎn kàn jiàn de.
This news is absolutely true — I saw it with my own eyes.
千真万确，。
Tā shuō de měi yí jù huà dōu qiān zhēn wàn què, nǐ wán quán kě yǐ xiāng xìn tā.
Every word he said is absolutely true; you can fully trust him.
，千真万确。
Zhè ge gù shi suī rán tīng qǐ lái bù kě sī yì, dàn qiān zhēn wàn què.
This story sounds incredible, but it's absolutely true.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

千真very true

千qiānthousand真zhēntrue

偏正Modifier + head

万确very certain

万wànten thousand确quètrue

偏正Modifier + head

“千” and “万” suggest great number, while “真” and “确” suggest true, so absolutely true.

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

一一yīone, signifying a number

Sound part声符shēngfú

人

人rén千qiān

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

千 pairs 人, whose sound was similar, with 一, a number stroke; the extra line was explained as extension, and a thousand is a number reached by extending counting.

Open 千 →

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

貝貝bèicowrie; shell

Sound part声符shēngfú

𠂈

𠂈𠂈真zhēn

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

真 pairs 貝 (cowrie shell, used for the meaning) with 𠂈, which gave the sound and originally drew a headlong fall.

Open 真 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 萬; 万 is its simplified writing.

For 万, the form 萬 was originally a picture of a scorpion, later borrowed for its sound to write 'ten thousand'; the scorpion picture is unrelated to that number.

Open 万 →

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.

石隺確

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 →