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确定 (què dìng) — (adjective) definite, certain, confirmed; (verb) to determine, to confirm, to make certain

Definition

Both adjective ('definite, certain') and verb ('to determine, to confirm'). It states or sets a decision; 确认 (HSK 5) is the more formal verb for verifying/confirming a specific fact.

adjective
definitecertainconfirmed
verb
to determineto confirmto make certain

Examples

  • 确定，。
    Zhè shì yí gè què dìng de xiāo xi, nǐ kě yǐ xiāng xìn.
    This is confirmed news, you can believe it.
  • 确定。
    Qǐng què dìng yí xià huì yì de shí jiān.
    Please confirm the time of the meeting.
  • 确定。
    Wǒ què dìng tā yǐ jīng zǒu le.
    I'm sure he has already left.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

确quècertain
定dìngfixed

确 and 定 are close in sense, together meaning made certain or fixed.

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
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 5500 Most Frequent Chinese WordsHSK 2.0 Level 51000 Most Frequent Chinese WordsThinking & Cognition2000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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