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ChineseGrammarWiki


			
				
					
						
						
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<p>If you look up 肯定 (kěndìng), 确定 (quèdìng) and 一定 (yīdìng) in the
dictionary, they all have similar meanings, like "certain" or
"surely." However, using them correctly in a sentence is a bit more
complicated.</p>
<h2 id="overview-概述">Overview 概述</h2>
<p>So how are these three words words different? We can answer this
question from two points of view:</p>
<p>1. From a "parts of speech" point of view:</p>
<ul>
<li>肯定 can be a verb, an adjective and an adverb.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>确定 can be a verb or an adjective.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>一定 can be an adjective or an adverb.</li>
</ul>
<p>2. From a "significance or meaning" point of view:</p>
<ul>
<li>肯定 often has a subjective, energetic feel to it。 It carries
meanings like 认可 (approval), 同意 (agreement), and 保证
(guarantee).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>确定 carries a feeling of objectively describing a situation. It
carries the meaning of 决定 (to decide, to resolve).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>一定 as an adjective has really broad uses, so you need to pay
attention to the specific times it's used in. As an adverb, it is
often used to give a reinforcing tone.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>肯定 and 确定 can both be verbs, but their use and meanings are
different. 一定 cannot be used as a verb.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="肯定-and-确定-as-a-verb">"肯定" and "确定" as a Verb</h2>
<h3 id="structure-with-肯定">Structure with 肯定</h3>
<p>肯定 can express that something is satisfactory (对…满意), often used
when a superior evaluates subordinates. When used this way, it
should be followed directly by a noun or a phrase that is acting as
a noun (noun phrase).</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>肯定 + Noun / Noun Phrase</p>
</div>
<p>I can also be used to express "I am sure." When used this way it
is usually a clause at the end of a sentence.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>Subj. + (敢)肯定 + Sentences</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-with-肯定">Examples with 肯定</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>老板 <em>肯定</em> 了 我们 团队 的 工作。<span class="trans">The boss
approved our team's work.</span></li>
<li>如果 想 让 别人 <em>肯定</em> 你，你 就 要 好好 做。<span class="trans">If you
want to make other people like you, you have to do good
work.</span></li>
<li>我 敢 <em>肯定</em> 这 就 是 他 的 声音。<span class="trans">I'm sure that
this is his voice.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="structure-with-确定">Structure with 确定</h3>
<p>You can also add a verb phrase a preposition phrase after 确定,
which makes it mean that that something is already set, often used
in describing a progressing condition.</p>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>确定 + Phrase / Sentence</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-with-确定">Examples with 确定</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我们 还 没有 <em>确定</em> 什么 时候 开始。<span class="trans">We still
haven't decided when to start.</span></li>
<li>已经 <em>确定</em>了 三 个 人，还 差 一 个。<span class="trans">Three people
have already been decided, one more is needed.</span></li>
<li>你 <em>确定</em> 他 是 我们 要 找 的 人 吗？<span class="trans">Have you
decided if he's the person we'll look for?</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-of-right-or-wrong-sentences">Examples of right or
wrong sentences</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>我们 要 先 <em>肯定</em> 一 个 形式 才 能 开始 做。<span class="expl">In this
sentence, "肯定" needs to be followed by a noun or a noun
phrase.</span></li>
<li>我们 要 先 <em>确定</em> 一 个 形式 才 能 开始 做。<span class="trans">We'll
have to decide on a design before we can start working.</span></li>
<li>老板 <em>肯定</em> 了 最近 我 工作 很 努力。<span class="expl">In this
sentence, "肯定" needs to be followed by a noun or noun
phrase.</span></li>
<li>老板 <em>肯定</em> 了 最近 我 的 努力 工作。<span class="expl">By changing
the word order, we get a noun phrase instead of a verb
phrase.</span><span class="trans">The boss approved my recent hard
work.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="肯定-一定-as-an-adverb">"肯定" "一定" as an Adverb</h2>
<p>肯定 and 一定 can both be adverbs, and the grammar structure for
both are similar. 肯定 emphasized more of a subjective judgement or
promise. 一定 sometimes carries an air of forcing something or
issuing a command.</p>
<h3 id="structure-with-肯定-1">Structure with 肯定</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>肯定 + Adj. / Verb</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-with-肯定-1">Examples with 肯定</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>他 <em>肯定</em> 还 没 起床，因为 他 的 手机 现在 还 没 开 机。<span class=
"trans">He definitely hasn't gotten out of bed yet， because his
phone is still off.</span></li>
<li>这 次 我 <em>肯定</em> 不 骗 你，骗 你 是 小 狗，好 吧？<span class="expl">The
idiom "骗你是小狗" literally means "To deceive you is to be a small
dog." It doesn't have a good English equivalent.</span><span class=
"trans">I'm not lying this time. Cross my heart.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="structure-with-一定">Structure with 一定</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>一定 + Adj. / Verb</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples-with-一定">Examples with 一定</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>明天 你们 <em>一定</em> 要 来。<span class="trans">You guys are
definitely going to come tomorrow.</span></li>
<li><em>一定</em> 要 小心。<span class="trans">You've definitely got to
be careful.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h3 id="right-or-wrong">Right or Wrong</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你们 <em>肯定</em> 要 去 听 我 的 演唱会。<span class="trans">Since it's a
command, "肯定" is not appropriate.</span></li>
<li>你们 <em>一定</em> 要 去 听 我 的 演唱会。<span class="trans">You guys have
to go listen to my music recital.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="肯定-确定-一定-as-as-adjectives">"肯定" "确定" "一定" as as
Adjectives</h2>
<p>All three of these can be placed before a noun as adjectives.
But in this grammar structure, 肯定 and 确定 use their verb meanings,
and 一定 as an adjective means "something particular</p>
<h3 id="structures">Structures</h3>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>肯定 + （的 +） Noun</p>
</div>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>确定 + （的 +） Noun</p>
</div>
<div class="jiegou">
<p>一定 + （的 +） Noun</p>
</div>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>如果 你 问 我 是不是 知道 这 件 事情，我 的 回答 是 <em>肯定</em> 的。<span class=
"trans">If you ask me if I know about this, my answer will be
sure.</span></li>
<li>请 给 我 一 个 <em>确定</em> 的 回答，不 要 总是 这么 模糊。<span class=
"trans">Please give me a definite response. Don't always be so
vague.</span></li>
<li>我们 之间 要 保持 <em>一定</em> 距离。<span class="trans">We need to keep a
certain distance between us.</span></li>
<li>这 件 事 和 他 有 <em>一定</em> 的 关系，不 能 都 怪 你。<span class="trans">He
has a certain connection with this, it can't completely surprise
you.</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See Also</h2>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further
reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"%E5%AF%B9%E5%A4%96%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E6%95%99%E5%AD%A6%E8%AF%AD%E6%B3%95%E9%87%8A%E7%96%91201%E4%BE%8B"
class="uri" title="wikilink">对外汉语教学语法释疑201例</a> (肯定 vs 一定 p.180)
<a href=
"http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D%EF%BC%88%E5%A2%9E%E8%AE%A2%E6%9C%AC%EF%BC%89"
class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语八百词（增订本）</a> (一定 p.603) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%85%AB%E7%99%BE%E8%AF%8D/dp/B001198GSW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345693275&amp;sr=8-1">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%EF%BC%8D%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87"
class="uri" title="wikilink">卓越汉语－公司实战篇</a> (p. 5) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.cn/%E5%8D%93%E8%B6%8A%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD-%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%AE%9E%E6%88%98%E7%AF%87-%E8%83%A1%E7%81%B5%E5%9D%87/dp/B003QZWQ6M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1347863170&amp;sr=8-1">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<h3 id="dictionaries">Dictionaries</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href=
"%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8%EF%BC%88%E7%AC%AC5%E7%89%88%EF%BC%89"
class="uri" title="wikilink">现代汉语词典（第5版）</a> (肯定p.776 一定 p.1594
确定p.1136) <a href=
"http://www.amazon.cn/%E7%8E%B0%E4%BB%A3%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E8%AF%8D%E5%85%B8/dp/B001B1RZCI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345693609&amp;sr=8-1">
→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="Category:grammar_comparison" title=
"wikilink">Category:grammar comparison</a></p>
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