quèrèn: 确认 - Confirm, Verify, Acknowledge

• Keywords: queren, 确认, confirm in Chinese, verify in Chinese, acknowledge Chinese, how to say confirm in Mandarin, Chinese verb for confirmation, què rèn meaning, 确认 pinyin, 确认 vs 确定.
• Summary: Learn how to use 确认 (quèrèn), the essential Chinese verb for “to confirm” or “to verify.” This page provides a deep dive into its meaning, character breakdown, and practical usage in modern China. From confirming a flight booking to finalizing a business deal, understanding quèrèn is crucial for clear communication and avoiding misunderstandings. We'll explore its cultural significance and compare it with similar words like 确定 (quèdìng) to help you master its nuances.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): quèrèn
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To confirm, to verify, or to formally acknowledge something as true or definite.
• In a Nutshell: 确认 (quèrèn) is the action of removing doubt and establishing something as a fact. Think of it as the step you take to get a final, clear “yes” or to make sure information is correct before you proceed. It's the real-life equivalent of clicking the “Confirm Purchase” or “Verify Identity” button online. It's a procedural word that seeks certainty.

• 确 (què): This character means “certain,” “definite,” or “solid.” The left-side radical 石 (shí) means “stone,” giving a sense of something solid and unchangeable.
• 认 (rèn): This character means “to recognize” or “to acknowledge.” The left-side radical 讠 (yán) is the “speech” radical, indicating an action related to speaking or communication.
• Combined Meaning: The characters literally combine to mean “to recognize as certain” or “to acknowledge as solid.” This perfectly captures the modern meaning of verifying information to make it definite.

While 确认 (quèrèn) may seem like a simple transactional verb, its frequent use highlights a key aspect of modern Chinese communication: the importance of clarity to prevent future conflict and maintain harmony (`和谐, héxié`). In a culture that can sometimes be high-context (where many things are left unsaid), the act of 确认 is a deliberate, low-context action. It's a formal step to ensure all parties are on the same page, leaving no room for ambiguity. This is crucial in business and official matters to avoid misunderstandings that could lead to a loss of “face” (`面子, miànzi`). Compared to the casual English phrase “to double-check,” 确认 (quèrèn) carries more weight and finality. “Double-checking” might be a personal, informal process. In contrast, asking someone to 确认 something is often a formal request for a definitive commitment or verification against an official source. It's less about the process of checking and more about establishing the final, confirmed result.

确认 (quèrèn) is an indispensable verb in daily life, business, and the digital world. Its connotation is generally neutral and procedural.

• Business and Formal Settings: It is standard practice to use 确认 for finalizing details.
  • `请确认会议时间。` (Qǐng quèrèn huìyì shíjiān.) - Please confirm the meeting time.
  • `我们需要客户确认合同细节。` (Wǒmen xūyào kèhù quèrèn hétong xìjié.) - We need the client to confirm the contract details.
• Travel and Reservations: You will use this word constantly when dealing with bookings.
  • `我想确认一下我的酒店预订。` (Wǒ xiǎng quèrèn yīxià wǒ de jiǔdiàn yùdìng.) - I'd like to confirm my hotel reservation.
• Digital Life: The word 确认 is the standard term for “Confirm” buttons on websites and apps across China.
  • `点击“确认”完成付款。` (Diǎnjī “quèrèn” wánchéng fùkuǎn.) - Click “Confirm” to complete the payment.
  • `系统会向您的手机发送一个确认码。` (Xìtǒng huì xiàng nín de shǒujī fāsòng yīgè quèrènmǎ.) - The system will send a confirmation code to your phone.

• Example 1:
  • 我需要确认一下您的全名和电话号码。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ xūyào quèrèn yīxià nín de quánmíng hé diànhuà hàomǎ.
  • English: I need to confirm your full name and phone number.
  • Analysis: A very common and polite phrase used in customer service settings. The `一下 (yīxià)` softens the request slightly.
• Example 2:
  • 收到邮件后，请确认。
  • Pinyin: Shōudào yóujiàn hòu, qǐng quèrèn.
  • English: After receiving the email, please confirm.
  • Analysis: A standard, concise instruction in professional communication. It's an abbreviation for “please confirm receipt.”
• Example 3:
  • 你能帮我确认这个消息是真的吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ quèrèn zhège xiāoxī shì zhēn de ma?
  • English: Can you help me verify if this news is real?
  • Analysis: Here, 确认 means to verify the authenticity of information against a reliable source.
• Example 4:
  • 我们已经向航空公司确认了航班信息。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen yǐjīng xiàng hángkōng gōngsī quèrènle hángbān xìnxī.
  • English: We have already confirmed the flight information with the airline.
  • Analysis: This shows 确认 as a completed action (`已经…了`). The structure is `向 [someone] 确认 [something]`.
• Example 5:
  • 在提交之前，请仔细确认所有信息。
  • Pinyin: Zài tíjiāo zhīqián, qǐng zǐxì quèrèn suǒyǒu xìnxī.
  • English: Before submitting, please carefully confirm all information.
  • Analysis: Used as a formal instruction, often seen on forms or websites. `仔细 (zǐxì)` means “carefully,” emphasizing the importance of the action.
• Example 6:
  • 医生确认了病人的诊断结果。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng quèrènle bìngrén de zhěnduàn jiéguǒ.
  • English: The doctor confirmed the patient's diagnosis.
  • Analysis: In this context, 确认 implies a final, professional verification based on evidence (like lab results).
• Example 7:
  • 您的订单已确认，我们将尽快发货。
  • Pinyin: Nín de dìngdān yǐ quèrèn, wǒmen jiāng jìnkuài fāhuò.
  • English: Your order has been confirmed, and we will ship it as soon as possible.
  • Analysis: A classic e-commerce sentence. Here, `已确认 (yǐ quèrèn)` functions as a status: “is confirmed.”
• Example 8:
  • 他看了看手表，确认了一下时间。
  • Pinyin: Tā kànle kàn shǒubiǎo, quèrènle yīxià shíjiān.
  • English: He glanced at his watch to confirm the time.
  • Analysis: Shows a more mundane, everyday use. The action is quick and for personal verification.
• Example 9:
  • 警方无法确认嫌疑人的身份。
  • Pinyin: Jǐngfāng wúfǎ quèrèn xiányírén de shēnfèn.
  • English: The police were unable to confirm the suspect's identity.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates the negative form. `无法 (wúfǎ)` means “unable to,” indicating that the verification process failed.
• Example 10:
  • 我打电话是为了确认我们明天的约会。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dǎ diànhuà shì wèile quèrèn wǒmen míngtiān de yuēhuì.
  • English: I'm calling to confirm our appointment for tomorrow.
  • Analysis: The structure `是为了… (shì wèile…)` highlights the purpose of an action.

The most common point of confusion for learners is the difference between 确认 (quèrèn) and 确定 (quèdìng). They are not interchangeable.

• 确认 (quèrèn) - The Action of Verifying: Use this when you are taking an action to check or verify something against an external source (a person, a document, a system).
  • Focus: The process of making sure.
  • Example: `请你确认一下地址。` (Qǐng nǐ quèrèn yīxià dìzhǐ.) - “Please confirm the address.” (You are asking someone to perform the action of checking.)
• 确定 (quèdìng) - The State of Being Sure / The Act of Deciding: Use this when you are expressing a state of certainty, or when a final decision has been made.
  • Focus: The result of being sure or a settled decision.
  • Example: `我确定这是正确的地址。` (Wǒ quèdìng zhè shì zhèngquè de dìzhǐ.) - “I am sure this is the correct address.”

Common Mistake:

• Incorrect: `我确认他会来。` (Wǒ quèrèn tā huì lái.)
• Why it's wrong: You cannot “verify” a future event for someone else as if you were an external system. You are expressing your own certainty or belief.
• Correct: `我确定他会来。` (Wǒ quèdìng tā huì lái.) - “I'm sure he will come.”

However, you can use 确认 if you are reporting information you verified from a source:

• Correct: `我跟他确认了，他会来。` (Wǒ gēn tā quèrèn le, tā huì lái.) - “I confirmed with him, and he will come.”

• 确定 (quèdìng) - To be sure; to decide. The state of being certain, whereas `确认` is the action of verifying.
• 证实 (zhèngshí) - To prove true; to corroborate. More formal than `确认`, often implying the use of solid evidence.
• 承认 (chéngrèn) - To admit; to acknowledge. Often used for admitting a mistake, a fault, or a fact one was reluctant to accept.
• 肯定 (kěndìng) - To affirm; to be sure. As a verb, it's a strong way to say “yes.” As an adjective, it means “positive” or “certain.” It's very close to `确定`.
• 核对 (héduì) - To check; to cross-reference. This implies comparing two or more items to ensure they match (e.g., checking a name against a list).
• 检查 (jiǎnchá) - To check; to inspect. Used for examining something for errors, quality issues, or for a health check-up.
• 收到 (shōudào) - To receive. Often precedes a request for confirmation, as in `收到请确认` (Please confirm upon receipt).
• 信息 (xìnxī) - Information. The object that is most often being confirmed.