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確 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
確quècertain, sure; definite, exact; real, truex, 15 strokes, radical 石, rank #50253, Very Hard
què(que4)que T4
  1. 1certain, sure; definite, exact; real, true
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March 24, 2026

確què(que4)

The character 確 (què) means 'certain' or 'definite,' often used to convey a sense of assurance or precision. It is commonly found in contexts where clarity and truth are emphasized, such as in formal statements or confirmations.

Strokes15Radical石Frequency#50253DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of certainty is valued in communication, especially in business and formal settings, where clear and definitive statements help build trust.

Memory tip

Imagine a rock (石), which is part of the character 確, representing something solid and unchangeable, combined with the component 確 meaning 'to ensure or make sure.' Picture a boulder that you can 'count on' to be there, symbolizing certainty.

Meanings of 確

què(que4)
1certain, sure; definite, exact; real, true
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 確

確Simplified
15Strokes
石Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 確

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Podcast: 確

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AI study notes for 確

Quick Contrast

确 (què) - use 确 for a more colloquial or everyday context, while 確 (què) is more formal or literary.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 確 with similar-sounding words like 確實 (quèshí) which means 'indeed' or 'truly.' It is typically used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Pay attention to the tone; the first tone is crucial.

HSK Study Tips

Although 確 is not included in HSK levels, it connects to HSK vocabulary about certainty and clarity, such as '是' (shì - to be) and '明確' (míngquè - clear). Focus on using 確 in sentences where you want to express certainty.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 確 with similar characters like 確認 (quèrèn - to confirm). For instance, saying '我確認這是正確的' is incorrect; instead, use '我確認這是正確的.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 確

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Etymology of 確

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 角 represents the sound.

Memory hint

stone

Semantic (meaning)石
+
Phonetic (sound)隺
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

確 = 石 + 隺. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 確

IDS Structure⿰石隺
確Full character
=
石dan4
left
隺hu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 確?

How to say certain, sure; definite, exact; real, true in Chinese

“certain, sure; definite, exact; real, true” in Chinese is確què

The character 確 (què) means 'certain' or 'definite,' often used to convey a sense of assurance or precision. It is commonly found in contexts where clarity and truth are emphasized, such as in formal statements or confirmations.

When to use 確

Learners often confuse 確 with similar-sounding words like 確實 (quèshí) which means 'indeed' or 'truly.' It is typically used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Pay attention to the tone; the first tone is crucial.

確 or something close to it

确 (què) - use 确 for a more colloquial or everyday context, while 確 (què) is more formal or literary.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 確 with similar characters like 確認 (quèrèn - to confirm). For instance, saying '我確認這是正確的' is incorrect; instead, use '我確認這是正確的.'

Write 確

確

Practice writing 確 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 確

Words containing this character20
确定quèdìngdefinite確定
确实quèshíindeed確實
的确díquèreally的確
正确zhèngquècorrect正確
明确míngquèclear-cut明確
确保quèbǎoto ensure確保
确认quèrènto confirm確認
准确zhǔnquèaccurate準確
确信quèxìnto be sure確信
确quèsolid確
确切quèqièdefinite確切
确立quèlìto establish確立
精确jīngquèaccurate精確
确诊quèzhěnto make a definite diagnosis確診
确凿quèzáodefinite確鑿
准确性accuracy準確性
千真万确manifold千真萬確
确定性determinacy確定性
精确度accuracy精確度
确证to prove確證
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 確

What does 确定 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 確

You can say '我確定這是正確的' (Wǒ quèdìng zhè shì zhèngquè de) meaning 'I am certain this is correct.'

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