確 meaning and stroke order
Certain, sure; definite, exact; real, true
How to write 確, stroke by stroke
15 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 確
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- authenticated
- solid
- firm
- real
- true
How 確 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Stone.
石 gives the meaning and 隺 hints at the sound.
Radical: 石 (stone), shared by 114 characters on this site.
How to remember 確
確 is built from 石 (shí, stone) on the left, which gives the meaning, and 隺 on the right, which hints at the sound. Think of something as solid as stone: when a fact is set in stone, it is certain and true.
確 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese and mostly appears in two-character words like 正確 (zhèngquè, correct), 確定 (quèdìng, certain) and 確實 (quèshí, indeed). Example: 你的答案是正確的。(Nǐ de dá'àn shì zhèngquè de.) Your answer is correct.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 準確 (zhǔnquè, accurate, precise) and 正確 (zhèngquè, correct, right). Use 準確 for measurements, timing or wording that hit the exact target, and use 正確 for answers or choices that are right rather than wrong.
Common words with 確
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 正確 | zhèngquè | correct; sound; right; proper | HSK 2 |
| 準確 | zhǔnquè | accurate; exact; precise | HSK 2 |
| 確定 | quèdìng | definite; certain | HSK 3 |
| 確實 | quèshí | indeed; really | HSK 3 |
| 確保 | quèbǎo | to ensure; to guarantee | HSK 3 |
| 明確 | míngquè | clear-cut; definite; explicit; to clarify; to specify; to make definite | HSK 3 |
| 的確 | díquè | really; indeed | HSK 4 |
| 確認 | quèrèn | to confirm; to verify | HSK 4 |
| 確立 | quèlì | to establish; to institute | HSK 5 |
| 確信 | quèxìn | to be convinced; to be sure | HSK 7-9 |
| 確切 | quèqiè | definite; exact | HSK 7-9 |
| 精確 | jīngquè | accurate; precise | HSK 7-9 |
| 確鑿 | quèzáo | definite; conclusive | HSK 7-9 |
| 確診 | quèzhěn | to make a definite diagnosis; confirmed (case of a specific disease) | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 確
How many strokes are in 確?
確 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 確 mean?
確 (què) means certain, sure; definite, exact; real, true. A common word with it is 正确 (zhèngquè), meaning "correct; sound; right; proper".
How do you pronounce 確?
確 is pronounced què, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 確?
The radical of 確 is 石, which carries the idea of "stone". Dictionaries list 確 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 確?
確 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 确, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 確實 and 的確?
Both mean really or indeed and are often interchangeable as adverbs, as in 他確實很忙 or 他的確很忙. 確實 can also work as an adjective meaning true or reliable, as in 確實的消息 (reliable news), while 的確 is only an adverb.
How do I say I am not sure using 確?
A common way is 我不確定 (wǒ bù quèdìng), meaning I am not sure. You can add what you are unsure about, as in 我不確定他來不來 (I am not sure whether he is coming).