决意 (jué yì) — to be determined, to resolve (to do something) | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

A formal verb meaning to make up one's mind or resolve to do something, stronger than 打算 and more decisive than 想. Used in writing and in committing to a firm course of action.

verb

to be determinedto resolve (to do something)

Examples

决意。
Tā jué yì yào dú zì wán chéng zhè cì lǚ xíng.
She is determined to complete this trip alone.
，。
Jīng guò yí yè sī kǎo, tā zhōng yú jué le yì.
After a night of thinking, he finally made up his mind.
，。
Dà jiā yì qǐ jué le yì, míng tiān jiù kāi shǐ xíng dòng.
Everyone resolved together to take action starting tomorrow.

Origin

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

决 gives the sense of firmness and 意 the sense of mind, so 决意 means to have one's mind made up.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 決; 决 is its simplified writing.

氵夬決

Meaning part形符xíngfú

氵Written in full as水shuǐ

Sound part声符shēngfú

夬

夬guài決jué

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 決 has 氵 (water) and 夬, which gives the sound. This describes 決, not the simplified 决.

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Appears in

Will & Intention

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