確 means “certain, sure, confirm”

たしか · tashika

Also: assurance, firm, tight, hard

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

たしか, たしかめる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

カク, コウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 5 · 15 strokes

The story

Stone (石) beside a bird (隹) under its cover (冖): picture a bird that only lands where the rock is solid. 確か means certain, and Japanese train crews point at and call out every check, a habit called 指差確認, "point and confirm".

Used in 確認 (kakunin, confirmation), 正確 (seikaku, accurate), and 確かめる (tashikameru, to make sure)

More from Thinking & Knowing

• 能 ability
• 疑 doubt
• 術 technique
• 想 idea
• 念 thought
• 察 observe
• 識 know
• 覚 remember
• 忘 forget
• 慣 get used to
• 才 talent
• 実 reality

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.