一定 (yídìng) — Certainly in Mandarin

dìng
Certainly

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#200 most common word · HSK 3 · CEFR B1

Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.

Tone breakdown

一定 is pronounced yídìng. Tap any syllable’s row to hear the whole word.

second tone (rising, ˊ)
dìng
fourth tone (sharp falling, ˋ)

In a sentence

Tā yídìng huì lái.

He will definitely come.

Hear it, then say it right

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Frequently asked questions

What does 一定 mean?+

一定 (yídìng) means "Certainly" in Mandarin Chinese.

How do you pronounce 一定?+

一定 is pronounced yídìng. It uses the tone 2 (rising), then the tone 4 (falling). Tap the character on this page to hear native audio.

How common is 一定 in Mandarin?+

一定 is the #200 most frequent word in spoken Mandarin, so it is one of the first words worth learning.

Where 一定 fits

HSK 3 · CEFR B1
See the full HSK 3 vocabulary list

Every HSK 3 word with tone-coloured pinyin and audio.

Words at a similar frequency

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Browse more on the Mandarin vocabulary hub, or read how to learn Mandarin tones.