Recognize 確 in 確認, 確か and 正確; learn each complete word in context.

The idea

確認 (かくにん) means confirmation; checking; 確か (たしか) means certain; reliable; 正確 (せいかく) means accurate; exact. 確 has 15 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram to write them in order. Learn each reading with its word. Sino-Japanese reading: カク（確認）; Japanese-origin reading: たし（確か）.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
確認かくにんconfirmation; checking
確かたしかcertain; reliable
正確せいかくaccurate; exact

Examples

  • 出発しゅっぱつ前まえに時間じかんを確認かくにんします。I check the time before departure.
  • 住所じゅうしょをもう一度いちど確認かくにんしてください。Please check the address again.
  • それは確たしかな情報じょうほうです。That is reliable information.
  • 確たしかな証拠しょうこがまだありません。There is no reliable evidence yet.
  • 彼女かのじょの答こたえは正確せいかくでした。Her answer was accurate.
  • 正確せいかくな数字すうじを書かいてください。Please write the exact figures.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

確か can mean reliable, but as an adverb it can also soften a recollection: “if I remember correctly.” 確認 is the act of checking, not proof that something is true. Compare 確 and 礁; their components differ: 確＝石＋隺；礁＝石＋焦.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 確認 in hiragana.

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    かくにん

    確認 is read かくにん and means confirmation; checking.

  2. Write the reading of 確か in hiragana.

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    たしか

    確か is read たしか and means certain; reliable.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: 正＿（せいかく）.

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    確

    確 completes 正確, read せいかく; the word means accurate; exact.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 確 from memory, then read 確認 and 確か aloud and make a sentence with one of them.