证实 (zhèngshí) — to confirm; to verify

证实 (zhèngshí)

证实 means to confirm or verify that something is true, typically through concrete evidence or investigation, and is frequently used in journalism, science, and legal contexts.

Meanings

1. [verb] to confirm; to verify; to substantiate
2. [verb] to prove to be true; to bear out

Example Sentences

调查结果证实了他们的猜测。 Diàochá jiéguǒ zhèngshíle tāmen de cāicè. The investigation results confirmed their suspicions.

这一发现已被多项独立研究证实。 Zhè yī fāxiàn yǐ bèi duō xiàng dúlì yánjiū zhèngshí. This finding has been confirmed by multiple independent studies.

警方尚未证实这一消息的真实性。 Jǐngfāng shàngwèi zhèngshí zhè yī xiāoxi de zhēnshíxìng. The police have not yet confirmed the authenticity of this information.

实验数据证实了该假设的正确性。 Shíyàn shùjù zhèngshíle gāi jiǎshè de zhèngquèxìng. The experimental data confirmed the correctness of the hypothesis.

目击者的证词证实了被告不在场。 Mùjī zhě de zhèngcí zhèngshíle bèigào bù zàichǎng. The witness testimony confirmed the defendant's alibi.

事实最终证实他的判断是正确的。 Shìshí zuìzhōng zhèngshí tā de pànduàn shì zhèngquè de. The facts ultimately confirmed that his judgment was correct.

Collocations

Usage Notes

证实 focuses on confirming that something is true, and it typically requires external evidence or facts as its support. It is distinct from 证明 (zhèngmíng), which can mean both "to prove" (often mathematically or logically) and "a certificate/document." 证实 is more specifically about verifying factual claims and is more common in journalistic and investigative contexts.

The passive construction 被证实 (to be confirmed/proven) is very common. 尚未证实 (not yet confirmed) is a standard journalistic phrase. At B2, learners should note that 证实 implies previously uncertain information being settled by evidence.

Memory Hook

ZHENG (证, evidence) + SHI (实, real/actual) = using evidence to make something real and confirmed.