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HSK 4

证明

to prove; proof; certificate

verbneutral1 episode
zhèng4th tone
míng2nd tone

HSK level

1
2
3
4
5
6
Pinyin
zhèngmíng
Part of speech
verb
Level
HSK 4
Strokes
15
Register
neutral
Measure word
份 / 张
In episodes
1

Stroke order for 证明

证明 is written with 15 strokes (: 7, : 8). The animation replays automatically.

What does 证明 mean?

证明 (zhèngmíng) works as both verb and noun.

As a verb it means "to prove, demonstrate, or verify" — showing with evidence that something is true: 事实证明他是对的 ("the facts proved he was right"). As a noun it means "proof" or, very often in daily life, a "certificate" — an official document that attests to something: 收入证明 (proof of income), 医生证明 (a doctor's note). The two characters are (evidence/certificate) and (clear), literally "make clear with evidence."

Distinguish it from 证据 (zhèngjù), which is the evidence itself — the material used to prove — whereas 证明 is the act of proving or the document that results. Also keep it apart from 说明 (shuōmíng), which explains or instructs rather than proves.

Note: Neutral; the noun sense (a written certificate) is common in official and bureaucratic contexts.

Character by character

zhèngevidence; certificate; to attest
+
míngclear; bright; to make clear
=
证明

Memory hook: 证 (evidence) makes something 明 (clear) → to prove it.

Hear 证明 in real episodes

证明 appears in 1 Fluentide podcast episode at natural native speed — each with the full Chinese script, pinyin, and line-by-line English translation.

Browse the full episode library

Example sentences

这些数据证明了他的观点。

Zhèxiē shùjù zhèngmíng le tā de guāndiǎn.

This data proved his point.

written

我需要一份工作证明。

Wǒ xūyào yí fèn gōngzuò zhèngmíng.

I need an employment certificate.

neutral

时间会证明一切。

Shíjiān huì zhèngmíng yíqiè.

Time will prove everything.

spoken

你能证明这是真的吗?

Nǐ néng zhèngmíng zhè shì zhēn de ma?

Can you prove this is true?

spoken

Common phrases with 证明

事实证明shìshí zhèngmíngthe facts prove; as it turned out
证明身份zhèngmíng shēnfènto prove one's identity
开证明kāi zhèngmíngto issue a certificate / get a note
收入证明shōurù zhèngmíngproof of income

Synonyms

证实zhèngshí

证实 means to confirm that a specific claim or report is true (证实了消息). 证明 is broader — to demonstrate truth in general, and it also names the document.

表明biǎomíng

表明 means to indicate or make one's position clear (态度表明). 证明 implies evidence establishing that something is factually true.

Don't confuse 证明 with

证据zhèngjù

证据 is the evidence itself — the object used to prove. 证明 is the act of proving, or the certificate produced. You use 证据 to 证明 something.

说明shuōmíng

说明 means to explain or the instructions for use (产品说明). 证明 means to prove with evidence. Explaining ≠ proving.

FAQ

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