<p>The dictionary definition may help you.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><strong>肯定</strong> / kěn dìng /</p>
<p>1 （承认事物的存在或真实性） affirm; approve; confirm; regard as positive:</p>
<p>affirm the achievements</p>
<p>肯定成绩</p>
<p>2 （正面的） affirmative:</p>
<p>Her answer is in the affirmative.</p>
<p>她的回答是肯定的。</p>
<p>3 （明确的; 确定的） definite; positive; sure:</p>
<p>We are not sure yet whether we'll go or not.</p>
<p>去不去， 我们还不能肯定。</p>
<p>It's definite that he'll come.; He is sure to come.</p>
<p>他肯定会来。</p>
<p>4 （一定; 无疑问） certainly; surely; definitely; undoubtedly; as sure as eggs
is eggs; dead cert:</p>
<p>We can certainly have the job finished on time.</p>
<p>我们肯定能按时完成任务</p>
<p><strong>绝对</strong> / jué duì /</p>
<p>1 （没有任何条件; 不受任何限制） absolute:</p>
<p>absolute predominance; overwhelming superiority; absolute superiority;</p>
<p>绝对优势</p>
<p>oppose absolute equalitarianism;</p>
<p>反对绝对平均主义</p>
<p>2 （完全; 一定） absolutely; perfectly; definitely:</p>
<p>absolutely reliable;</p>
<p>绝对可靠</p>
<p>Absolute perfection in a dictionary is rare.</p>
<p>绝对完美的词典是罕见的。</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Back to your examples:</p>
<blockquote>
<ol>
<li><p>老王点点头，给了老董一个肯定的回答。// 绝对 can not be used to replace 肯定</p>
</li>
<li><p>这个人这么胖，绝对不是张英。// 绝对 can be used to replace 肯定</p>
</li>
<li><p>事情都有好的方面，也有不好的方面，不能想得太绝对。//  绝对 can not be used to replace 肯定</p>
</li>
<li><p>河里的水真清，要是不去游游泳，肯定很舒服。//  肯定 can be used to replace 绝对.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-03T02:15:38.267Z
Thank you. It seems they can be interchangeable if it acts as an adverb.
Reynaldi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-03T02:17:38.603Z
@Reynaldi, yeah, but the extent is different.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T12:08:25.680Z
2018-06-02T12:08:25.680Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
dan
<p>It's about the same as the difference between definitely and certainly.</p>

<p>Your assumption may be delusion. Just because words may have the same meaning sometimes, meaning is a difficult thing to narrow down and the use of said words in Chinese is very tricky. Meaning shifts.</p>

<p>老王点点头，给了老董一个肯定的回答。 不是绝对的意思<br>
肯定 = positive<br>
这个人这么胖，绝对不是张英。也可以使用 肯定<br>
 绝对 = definitely<br>
事情都有好的方面，也有不好的方面，不能想得太绝对。不能换成 肯定<br>
绝对 = black or white<br>
河里的水真清，要是不去游游泳，肯定不舒服。也可以使用 绝对<br>
肯定 = definitely</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T12:14:09.020Z
2018-06-02T12:14:09.020Z
Pedroski
<p>Continuing from my previous <a href="https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/30027/what-is-the-difference-between-%E6%9C%AC%E6%9D%A5-and-%E5%8E%9F%E6%9D%A5">question</a>, there's another phrase that also makes me confused, the usage of "绝对" and "肯定".</p>

<p>From my textbook, here's the meaning of each word:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ul>
  <li>绝对 = [Adj./Adv.] Absolute / Absolutely.</li>
  <li>肯定 = [Adj./Adv.] Sure / Surely.</li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

<p>I'm assuming the level of confidence is different based on the meaning. The degree of "绝对" seems higher than "肯定".</p>

<p>Take a look at these sentences (taken from 汉语口语速成: 基础篇 pp. 91-92):</p>

<blockquote>
  <ol>
  <li>老王点点头，给了老董一个<strong>肯定</strong>的回答。</li>
  <li>这个人这么胖，<strong>绝对</strong>不是张英。</li>
  <li>事情都有好的方面，也有不好的方面，不能想得太<strong>绝对</strong>。</li>
  <li>河里的水真清，要是不去游游泳，<strong>肯定</strong>很舒服。</li>
  </ol>
</blockquote>

<p>Are the above sentences correct? Can "绝对" and "肯定" be used interchangeably? I feel sentences #1, #2, and #4 can be changed into "绝对", "肯定", and "绝对" respectively.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-02T11:59:08.267Z
see dict.,e.g. bkrs: **绝对**  absolute
unconditional（没有任何条件; 不受任何限制）（完全; 一定） absolutely; perfectly; definitely:
绝对可靠 absolutely reliable
绝对完美的词典是罕见的。 Absolute perfection in a dictionary is rare.
**肯定**  (1) [affirm; approve; assert]∶对事物持确认的或赞成的态度。 与"否定"相对
肯定成绩
(2) [be positive; be sure]∶有把握; 无疑, 有信心, 有理由确信
你肯定会受到欢迎
(3) [decide]∶确定
他们的关系还没有肯定下来, 还谈什么结婚呢
II
[certainly; undoubtedly; definitely; surely] 毫无疑问; 必定
肯定能增产
user6065
<meaning><difference>
What is the difference between 绝对 and 肯定?
# What is the difference between 绝对 and 肯定?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-02)

Continuing from my previous [question](https://chinese.stackexchange.com/questions/30027/what-is-the-difference-between-%E6%9C%AC%E6%9D%A5-and-%E5%8E%9F%E6%9D%A5), there's another phrase that also makes me confused, the usage of "绝对" and "肯定".

From my textbook, here's the meaning of each word:

> * 绝对 = [Adj./Adv.] Absolute / Absolutely.
> * 肯定 = [Adj./Adv.] Sure / Surely.

I'm assuming the level of confidence is different based on the meaning. The degree of "绝对" seems higher than "肯定".

Take a look at these sentences (taken from 汉语口语速成: 基础篇 pp. 91-92):

> 1. 老王点点头，给了老董一个**肯定**的回答。
> 2. 这个人这么胖，**绝对**不是张英。
> 3. 事情都有好的方面，也有不好的方面，不能想得太**绝对**。
> 4. 河里的水真清，要是不去游游泳，**肯定**很舒服。

Are the above sentences correct? Can "绝对" and "肯定" be used interchangeably? I feel sentences #1, #2, and #4 can be changed into "绝对", "肯定", and "绝对" respectively.

**Tags:** meaning, difference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: see dict.,e.g. bkrs: **绝对**  absolute unconditional（没有任何条件; 不受任何限制）（完全; 一定） absolutely; perfectly; definitely: 绝对可靠 absolutely reliable 绝对完美的词典是罕见的。 Absolute perfection in a dictionary is rare. **肯定**  (1) [affirm; approve; assert]∶对事物持确认的或赞成的态度。 与"否定"相对 肯定成绩 (2) [be positive; be sure]∶有把握; 无疑, 有信心, 有理由确信 你肯定会受到欢迎 (3) [decide]∶确定 他们的关系还没有肯定下来, 还谈什么结婚呢 II [certainly; undoubtedly; definitely; surely] 毫无疑问; 必定 肯定能增产  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-06-02. Score: 2

The dictionary definition may help you.

> **肯定** / kěn dìng /
>
> 1 （承认事物的存在或真实性） affirm; approve; confirm; regard as positive:
>
> affirm the achievements
>
> 肯定成绩
>
> 2 （正面的） affirmative:
>
> Her answer is in the affirmative.
>
> 她的回答是肯定的。
>
> 3 （明确的; 确定的） definite; positive; sure:
>
> We are not sure yet whether we'll go or not.
>
> 去不去， 我们还不能肯定。
>
> It's definite that he'll come.; He is sure to come.
>
> 他肯定会来。
>
> 4 （一定; 无疑问） certainly; surely; definitely; undoubtedly; as sure as eggs
> is eggs; dead cert:
>
> We can certainly have the job finished on time.
>
> 我们肯定能按时完成任务
>
> **绝对** / jué duì /
>
> 1 （没有任何条件; 不受任何限制） absolute:
>
> absolute predominance; overwhelming superiority; absolute superiority;
>
> 绝对优势
>
> oppose absolute equalitarianism;
>
> 反对绝对平均主义
>
> 2 （完全; 一定） absolutely; perfectly; definitely:
>
> absolutely reliable;
>
> 绝对可靠
>
> Absolute perfection in a dictionary is rare.
>
> 绝对完美的词典是罕见的。

Back to your examples:

> 1. 老王点点头，给了老董一个肯定的回答。// 绝对 can not be used to replace 肯定
> 2. 这个人这么胖，绝对不是张英。// 绝对 can be used to replace 肯定
> 3. 事情都有好的方面，也有不好的方面，不能想得太绝对。// 绝对 can not be used to replace 肯定
> 4. 河里的水真清，要是不去游游泳，肯定很舒服。// 肯定 can be used to replace 绝对.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you. It seems they can be interchangeable if it acts as an adverb.  
> **username_2**: @username_0, yeah, but the extent is different.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-02. Score: 2

It's about the same as the difference between definitely and certainly.

Your assumption may be delusion. Just because words may have the same meaning sometimes, meaning is a difficult thing to narrow down and the use of said words in Chinese is very tricky. Meaning shifts.

老王点点头，给了老董一个肯定的回答。 不是绝对的意思  
肯定 = positive  
这个人这么胖，绝对不是张英。也可以使用 肯定  
绝对 = definitely  
事情都有好的方面，也有不好的方面，不能想得太绝对。不能换成 肯定  
绝对 = black or white  
河里的水真清，要是不去游游泳，肯定不舒服。也可以使用 绝对  
肯定 = definitely


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