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决心 (jué xīn) — (noun) determination, resolution; (verb) to be determined (to do something); to make up one's mind

Definition

As a noun it means 'determination' (a mental state); as a verb it means 'to make up one's mind / be determined (to do sth)' — e.g. 我决心… Unlike 意志 (ongoing willpower), 决心 marks a specific resolved decision.

noun
determinationresolution
verb
to be determined (to do something)to make up one's mind
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 决心。
    Tā jué xīn chéng wéi yì míng yōu xiù de yī shēng.
    He is determined to become an excellent doctor.
  • 决心。
    Tā de jué xīn ràng wǒ fēi cháng gǎn dòng.
    Her determination moved me deeply.
  • 决心。
    Wǒ men jué xīn tí gāo gōng zuò xiào lǜ.
    We are determined to improve work efficiency.

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juédetermined
心xīnheart/mind

决心 joins 决 ('determined') and 心 ('heart/mind'), giving a firm, resolute mind.

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.

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.

Open 决 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 心 comes from a drawing of a heart, now highly stylized.

Open 心 →
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