How to say "affirmative" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 肯定こうていnounThe affirmative as opposed to the negative: a yes, an affirmation. Covers affirmative answers and judgments, and the affirmative side of the contrast with negation in logic and grammar.
- 断定だんていnounReally a definite assertion or firm conclusion — stating something with conviction. As a rendering of 'affirmative' it is marginal: seldom the word for the yes-versus-no sense, which belongs to 肯定.
Use 肯定 for the affirmative as opposed to the negative — a yes, an affirmation; 断定 really means a definite assertion or firm conclusion, and is only a marginal rendering of 'affirmative'.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
