一定
yídìng
Certainly
一定 (yī dìng) — definitely, must
Subj. + 一定 (yídìng) + Verb/Adj.
HSK 33.0
Pattern diagram
Who / what一定Action
Rule structure
Before a predicate, 一定 (yī dìng) (yídìng) expresses confidence: “definitely” or “certainly.” It also occurs in promises and insistent requests: 一定来 (yī dìng lái) (yídìng lái), “be sure to come.” 必须 (bìxū) stresses necessity, while 一定 (yī dìng) emphasizes the speaker’s confidence or insistence.
Rule structure
Before a predicate, 一定 (yī dìng) (yídìng) expresses confidence: “definitely” or “certainly.” It also occurs in promises and insistent requests: 一定来 (yī dìng lái) (yídìng lái), “be sure to come.” 必须 (bìxū) stresses necessity, while 一定 (yī dìng) emphasizes the speaker’s confidence or insistence.
Examples
你明天一定要来。
Nǐ míngtiān yídìng yào lái.
You must definitely come tomorrow.
他今天一定很累。
Tā jīntiān yídìng hěn lèi.
He must be very tired today.
Examples
你明天一定要来。
Nǐ míngtiān yídìng yào lái.
You must definitely come tomorrow.
他今天一定很累。
Tā jīntiān yídìng hěn lèi.
He must be very tired today.
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Words from this rule
Frequently asked questions
How do you say “definitely, must” in Chinese with 一定?
Use the structure: Subj. + 一定 (yídìng) + Verb/Adj.. For example: 你明天一定要来。 — “You must definitely come tomorrow”.
What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?
你明天一定要来。 — “You must definitely come tomorrow”.
Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?
This grammar rule is part of HSK 3.0 Level 3.
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More HSK 3.0 Level 3 grammar rules
不是……吗？ — rhetorical questions
不 (bù) 是 (shì)…… 吗 (ma)？
极了 — extremely, very
Adj. + 极了 (jí le)
得很 — very, extremely
Adj. + 得很 (de hěn)
先 — first… then…
先 (xiān)……, 再 (zài)……
一边 — doing two things at once
一边 (yìbiān) + Verb 1, 一边 (yìbiān) + Verb 2
又 — again in the past
又 (yòu) + Verb + 了 (le)
一直 — all along, continuously
Subj. + 一直 (yìzhí) + Verb/Adj.
总是 — always
总是 (zǒngshì) + Predicate