The word 肯定 is formed through the conceptual combination of its two component characters. The first character, 肯, carries the core meaning of "to agree" or "to consent", implying acknowledgment. The second character, 定, means "to settle", "to fix", or "stable". When fused, the idea of "agreeing and settling" something evolves into the abstract sense of confirming it as fixed, certain, or true, thus giving the word its meaning of "to affirm", "to approve", or "definitely".