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速决 (sù jué) — to quickly decide

Definition

A formal, written-style verb meaning 'to decide quickly,' often used in official or report-style language. Contrast with 解决 (to solve/resolve a problem) — 速决 is about speed of deciding, not solving.

verb
to quickly decide

Examples

  • ，速决。
    Shì qing jǐn jí, wǒ men bì xū sù jué.
    The matter is urgent; we must quickly decide.
  • ，速决。
    Jīng guò tǎo lùn, lǐng dǎo sù jué le fāng àn.
    After discussion, the leader quickly decided on the plan.
  • ，速决。
    Tā bú zài yóu yù, sù jué zuò chū jué dìng.
    He no longer hesitated and quickly made a decision.

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.

速sùquick
决juédecide

'速' means quick or speed, and '决' means decide, together meaning decide quickly.

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
辵辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
束
束shù速sù
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

速 pairs 辵, the walking part, with 束, which is used for its sound; the walking part fits the meaning of moving fast.

Open 速 →

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 →
Appears in
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