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定夺 (dìng duó) — to decide (after deliberation); to settle

Definition

定夺 means to make a final decision after deliberation, usually by someone in authority. Stronger and more formal than 决定, which simply means 'to decide'.

verb
to decide (after deliberation)to settle

Examples

  • 定夺。
    Zhè jiàn shì xū yào jǐn kuài dìng duó.
    This matter needs to be decided as soon as possible.
  • ，定夺。
    Jīng guò tǎo lùn, dà jiā zhōng yú dìng duó le fāng àn.
    After discussion, everyone finally settled on the plan.
  • 定夺。
    Yóu jīng lǐ dìng duó zuì zhōng rén xuǎn.
    The manager will decide on the final candidate.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

定dìngsettle
夺duódecide

定 and 夺 both point to settling a question, so together they mean to decide.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
宀宀mián
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng定dìng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

定 is built from 宀 and 正, with 正 supplying the sound.

Open 定 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 奪; 夺 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 奪 includes 又 (a hand), 雀 (a bird), and 衣 (clothing), showing a hand seizing a bird from someone; the simplified 夺 is a later abbreviation.

Open 夺 →
Appears in
Thinking & Cognition

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