约定 meaning in English
to agree on sth (after discussion); to conclude a bargain
Meaning of 约定
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to agree on sth (after discussion)
- to conclude a bargain
- to arrange
- to promise
- to stipulate
- to make an appointment
- stipulated (time, amount, quality etc)
- an arrangement
How to use 约定
约定 works as a verb, "to agree on" or "to arrange", and as a noun, "an agreement" or "a promise". It often appears with 好 to show the plan is settled, or in phrases like 约定的时间 (the agreed time). Example: 我们约定明天下午三点见面。(Wǒmen yuēdìng míngtiān xiàwǔ sān diǎn jiànmiàn.) We agreed to meet at three tomorrow afternoon.
约 (yuē) means to make an appointment or an agreement, and 定 (dìng) means fixed or settled. When you make an agreement and fix it in place, you have 约定, a set arrangement.
Common mistake: Learners often use 约定 where 决定 (juédìng) fits. 决定 is a decision one person can make alone, while 约定 needs at least two people agreeing with each other. Also keep 约 in the first tone (yuē), not the fourth.
约定 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
约 yuē · to make an appointment · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
定 dìng · to fix · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Related words
Words that share a character with 约定.
| 一定 | yīdìng | surely; certainly; definitely; fixed; settled |
| 不一定 | bùyīdìng | not necessarily; maybe |
| 决定 | juédìng | to decide; to determine; to make up one's mind; decision (CL:個|个[ge4],項|项[xiang4]) |
| 确定 | quèdìng | definite; certain |
| 大约 | dàyuē | approximately; probably |
| 规定 | guīdìng | to stipulate; to specify; to prescribe; to fix (a price); to set (a quota); regulations; r |
| 制定 | zhìdìng | to draw up; to formulate |
| 否定 | fǒudìng | to negate; to deny |
| 定期 | dìngqī | at set dates; at regular intervals |
| 节约 | jiéyuē | to economize; to conserve (resources) |
| 约会 | yuēhuì | appointment; engagement |
| 说不定 | shuōbudìng | can't say for sure; maybe |
Questions about 约定
What does 约定 mean?
约定 (yuēdìng) means "to agree on sth (after discussion); to conclude a bargain" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 约定?
约定 is made of 2 characters: 约 (6 strokes), 定 (8 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 约定 an HSK word?
Yes. 约定 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 约定 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 约定 is written 約定.
What is the difference between 约定 and 规定?
约定 is an agreement made between people, often informal, like friends planning to meet. 规定 (guīdìng) is a rule set by an authority, such as a school or government, that others must follow.
How do I say "keep a promise" or "break an agreement" with 约定?
Use 遵守约定 (zūnshǒu yuēdìng) for keeping an agreement and 违反约定 (wéifǎn yuēdìng) for breaking one. In casual speech you can also say 说好了 (shuō hǎo le) for "we agreed".