adjective / adverb HSK 4
Traditional 確
true · reliable · certain · indeed
Meaning
确 means 'true,' 'certain,' or 'reliable.' It is commonly used to affirm or confirm something with confidence. While it can stand alone in classical or formal contexts, it more frequently appears in compound words like 确实 (indeed), 确定 (to confirm), and 准确 (accurate).
Usage
In modern spoken Chinese, 确 rarely appears by itself. It's almost always found in two-character compounds. When you see 确 in a word, it typically adds a sense of certainty, accuracy, or reliability to the meaning. Common in both formal writing and everyday speech through its compounds.
Examples
- 01这个消息确实让我很惊讶。.This news indeed surprised me very much.
- 02请确认你的预订信息。.Please confirm your reservation information.
Common collocations
- 确保to ensure, to guarantee
- 确认to confirm, to verify
- 的确indeed, really
- 正确correct, right
Antonyms
Origin
The traditional form 確 contains the stone radical 石, suggesting something solid and unmovable, thus 'certain' or 'reliable.' The phonetic component helps indicate pronunciation.