肯定 kěn dìng
“to be certain; to be positive; assuredly”
adverb, verb, verb / noun, adjectiveHSK 4 · 2021 list level 5
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
肯定 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 1435: 肯定 kěndìng — Level 4; official annotation 4 (动、形、副). PDF page 115
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 肯定
肯定 is an everyday adverb meaning "definitely" or "certainly," used when the speaker is confident about a statement. It comes directly before a verb or adjective, commonly with 会, 是, 能, or a negative: 肯定会来, 肯定不是他. It can also stand alone as a short answer meaning "definitely."
例句Example sentences
- 明天肯定会下雨。míng tiān kěn dìng huì xià yǔ.It will definitely rain tomorrow.
- 他肯定知道答案。tā kěn dìng zhī dao dá àn.He definitely knows the answer.
- 别担心，我们肯定能做完。bié dān xīn, wǒ men kěn dìng néng zuò wán.Don't worry, we can definitely finish it.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗他肯定地会来。
✓他肯定会来。
Here 肯定 is a sentence adverb modifying 会来, so it goes directly before 会 and 地 cannot be inserted. (肯定地 exists only in the manner sense "affirmatively," as in 肯定地回答.)