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确保 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
确保
quèbǎo
to ensure
HSK 5, v, 21 strokes, rank #1502, Hard
确保
quèbǎo
to guarantee
HSK 5, v, 21 strokes, rank #1502, Hard
quèbǎo(que4bao3)que bao T4
1to ensure
2to guarantee
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March 24, 2026
确保(確保)quèbǎo(que4bao3)
确保 (que4 bao3) means to ensure or guarantee that something will happen or be the case. It is commonly used in contexts where one needs to confirm the reliability or certainty of an outcome, such as in business agreements or safety protocols.
Strokes21Frequency#1502DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese business culture, ensuring agreements are fulfilled is seen as a mark of professionalism. The concept of ensuring (确保) is crucial in contract law and negotiations, reflecting the value placed on trust and reliability.
Memory tip
Imagine a giant 'check mark' (确) standing on a 'treasure chest' (保), symbolizing that you are checking to ensure the treasure is safely secured. The 'check mark' sounds like 'que' and the 'chest' sounds like 'bao', helping you remember the pronunciation and meaning.
Meanings of 确保
quèbǎo(que4bao3)
1to ensure
2to guarantee
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 确保
确保Simplified
確保Traditional
21Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1502Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 确保
Podcast: 确保
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AI study notes for 确保
Quick Contrast
保证 (bǎozhèng) vs 确保 (quèbǎo): Use 确保 when emphasizing the act of ensuring or making certain, while 保证 focuses more on the promise or commitment aspect.
Usage Notes
Ensure is often used in formal contexts, so be cautious when using it in casual conversations. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar verbs such as '保证' (bao3 zheng4), which also means to guarantee but has a slightly different nuance. The phrase '确保安全' (ensure safety) is a common collocation.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 6 word, 确保 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to assurance and certainty. Focus on using it in complex sentence structures to express conditionality or obligation.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 确保 with similar verbs. For instance, saying '我确保他会来' (I ensure he will come) instead of the more appropriate '我保证他会来' (I guarantee he will come) is incorrect, as the latter fits better in this context.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 确保
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确保 (que4 bao3) means to ensure or guarantee that something will happen or be the case. It is commonly used in contexts where one needs to confirm the reliability or certainty of an outcome, such as in business agreements or safety protocols.
When to use 确保
Ensure is often used in formal contexts, so be cautious when using it in casual conversations. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar verbs such as '保证' (bao3 zheng4), which also means to guarantee but has a slightly different nuance. The phrase '确保安全' (ensure safety) is a common collocation.
确保 or something close to it
保证 (bǎozhèng) vs 确保 (quèbǎo): Use 确保 when emphasizing the act of ensuring or making certain, while 保证 focuses more on the promise or commitment aspect.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 确保 with similar verbs. For instance, saying '我确保他会来' (I ensure he will come) instead of the more appropriate '我保证他会来' (I guarantee he will come) is incorrect, as the latter fits better in this context.
Write 确保
确
保
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Grammar patterns of 确保
确保 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
