的确
díquè · HSK 4
certainly
✅ 的确 = de (target/aim) + què (true/sure) — aim is true, certainly so
的 marks precision (a target/bullseye); 确 means firm or certain. Together they stack two 'sureness' words for emphasis — like saying 'truly, definitely.' Use 的确 to confirm something is indeed the case.
的 — white 白 + ladle 勺
Originally a phono-semantic compound: 白 ('white') gave the meaning of bright or clear, and 勺 supplied the sound. It once meant 'bright' or 'target' (still seen in 目的, 'aim'). In modern Chinese it was borrowed as a grammatical particle marking possession or modification.