决 (jué) — to decide, to determine (bound form; used in 决定, 决心, etc.); definitely, certainly (bound form; used in 决不, 决非, etc.); to execute (a criminal) (bound form; used in 处决)
Definition
决 is a bound morpheme — it never stands alone. It means 'to decide / firmly' and combines with other characters to form words like 决定 (decide), 决心 (determination), 决不 (definitely not), 处决 (execute).
bound form
to decideto determine (bound form; used in 决定, 决心, etc.)definitelycertainly (bound form; used in 决不, 决非, etc.)to execute (a criminal) (bound form; used in 处决)
Easily confused
- 块kuàilook-alike(classifier) for pieces or chunks of something (e.g., bread, meat, watermelon)
- 绝juésound-alike(verb) to cut off; to vanish; to become extinct
- 快kuàilook-alike(adjective) fast, quick
- 掘juésound-aliketo dig; to excavate
- 诀juélook-alike(bound form) a formula, mnemonic, or secret trick (in 口诀, 诀窍)
- 爵juésound-alike(bound form) ancient bronze wine vessel with three legs and a loop handle, used in rituals
Examples
- 。Tā jué dìng yào qù zhōng guó liú xué.He decided to go study abroad in China.
- 。Dà jiā jué bú fàng qì zhè ge jì huà.Everyone absolutely will not give up on this plan.
- 。Nà ge zuì fàn bèi yī fǎ chǔ jué le.That criminal was executed according to law.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost 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.
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.
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