Chinese word

决定

Pronunciation

Pinyinjué dìng

Meaning

  • verbdecide

Example

我们决定明天去北京。wǒ men jué dìng míng tiān qù běi jīng

We decided to go to Beijing tomorrow.

Illustration for 决定 (decide)

More examples

他们决定先学习语法，再练习口语。tā men jué dìng xiān xué xí yú fǎ zài liàn xí kóu yǔ

They decided to study grammar first, then practice speaking.

Core concept

A choice moves from uncertainty into a settled plan.

Common phrases

  • 决定方案jué dìng fāng àn

    decide on a plan

  • 决定是否参加jué dìng shì fǒu cān jiā

    decide whether to participate

  • 自己决定zì jǐ jué dìng

    decide for oneself

Similar words

选择xuǎn zé: Select a particular option from several available ones.
考虑kǎo lǜ: Give careful thought to something before forming a judgment.
确定què dìng: Confirm or set a fact, time, or other matter precisely.
同意tóng yì: Be in agreement with another person's view or plan.

Definition in Chinese

对事情作出决定或安排，表示不再犹豫并准备付诸行动。duì shì qíng zuò chū jué dìng huò ān pái biǎo shì bú zài yóu yù bìng zhǔn bèi fù zhū xíng dòng

Word origin

决定 (juédìng, "decide") is built from 决 (jué, "settle") and 定 (dìng, "make firm"), so its form presents a choice as something made firm for action.

Usage tips

  • 我决定了 (wǒ juédìng le, "I have decided") marks the point when the choice becomes settled, while the action mentioned afterward need not have happened yet.

Other meanings

  • decisionnoun

Opposites

  • 犹豫yóu yùhesitateverb
  • 改变主意gǎi biàn zhǔ yìchange one's mindverb

Word lists with this word