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March 24, 2026
决(決)jué(jue2)
The character 决 (jué) primarily means 'to decide' or 'to determine.' It is commonly used in contexts where a choice must be made or a judgment reached, often implying a sense of finality or certainty in the decision. It can also refer to a breach, as in a dam bursting, indicating a critical or decisive moment.
Strokes6Radical冫Frequency#3969DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, decision-making is often seen as a collective process, especially in family and business settings. The concept of 决 reflects the importance of thoughtful deliberation before arriving at a definitive conclusion.
Memory Tip
Imagine a judge (radical 决) sitting at a large table, decisively slamming down a gavel to make a final judgment. The sound of the gavel echoes like 'jué,' helping you remember both the character and its meaning of making a decision.
Meanings of 决
jué(jue2)
1to decide
2to determine
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 决
决Simplified
決Traditional
6Strokes
冫Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3969Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3
Podcast: 决
Podcast: 决
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AI Study Notes for 决
Quick Contrast
决 (jué) vs 断 (duàn) — use 决 for decisions with finality, while 断 emphasizes a break or interruption.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a judge (radical 决) sitting at a large table, decisively slamming down a gavel to make a final judgment. The sound of the gavel echoes like 'jué,' helping you remember both the character and its meaning of making a decision.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 决 with 绝 (jué), which means 'to cut off' or 'absolute.' It's important to use 决 in contexts involving decisions or determinations, whereas 绝 is more extreme. This character is generally neutral and can be used in both formal and informal settings.
HSK Study Tips
While 决 is not listed in the HSK levels, it connects with words related to decision-making and determination found in HSK 4 and 5. Focus on using it in sentences that involve making choices or judgments to solidify your understanding.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, decision-making is often seen as a collective process, especially in family and business settings. The concept of 决 reflects the importance of thoughtful deliberation before arriving at a definitive conclusion.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is confusing 决 with 决定 and using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我决去旅行' instead of '我决定去旅行' is incorrect; the correct form uses 决定.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 决
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Simplified form of 決. Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 夬 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "burst open". The meaning later shifted to "clear", "cut off", "decide" and "judge".
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Grammar Patterns of 决
决 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
Remember, happiness doesn't depend upon who you are or what you have; it depends solely upon what you think.--Dale Carnegie
10
你的决定必须转化为具体明确的行动。
nǐ de jué dìng bì xū zhuǎn huà wéi jù tǐ míng què de háng dòng。
Your decision must be translated into specific, concrete actions.
Cultural Notes for 决
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, decision-making is often seen as a collective process, especially in family and business settings. The concept of 决 reflects the importance of thoughtful deliberation before arriving at a definitive conclusion.
📜Proverb
A related Chinese proverb is "不决则废" (Bù jué zé fèi), which means 'not deciding leads to failure.' This reflects the value placed on decisiveness in achieving goals.
Word Family of 决
Compounds1
诀jue2to take leave of, to bid farewell; knack, trick
Words Containing This Character20
决定juédìngto resolve決定
解决jiějuéto resolve解決
决赛juésàifinals (of a competition)決賽
坚决jiānjuéfirm堅決
判决pànjuéto sentence判決
决策juécèstrategic decision決策
决心juéxīndetermination決心
决不juébùnot at all決不
决juéto decide決
决议juéyìa resolution決議
表决biǎojuéto vote表決
裁决cáijuéruling裁決
半决赛bànjuésàisemifinals半決賽
总决赛finals (sports)總決賽
否决fǒujuéto veto否決
决斗to duel決鬥
处决to execute (a condemned criminal)處決
决战decisive battle決戰
下定决心to make a firm resolution下定決心
决定性decisive決定性
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 诀 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 决
决 (jué) is used in both formal and informal contexts in Chinese. It can appear in everyday conversations when making decisions, as well as in formal documents or discussions related to policy-making and strategic planning.
Common phrases with 决 include '决策' (juécè), meaning 'decision-making,' and '决心' (juéxīn), which means 'determination' or 'resolution.' These phrases highlight the character's association with decision and commitment.
决 (jué) means 'to decide' or 'to determine' in Chinese. It can also imply executing someone or something, and in specific contexts, it refers to a dam breaching or bursting. The character conveys a sense of definitiveness or certainty.
You can use 决 (jué) in a sentence to express a decision, such as '我决定去旅行' (Wǒ juédìng qù lǚxíng), meaning 'I have decided to travel.' This character often appears in phrases related to making choices or firm resolutions.
You can use it in a sentence like '我决定去旅行' (Wǒ juédìng qù lǚxíng), which means 'I decide to travel.'
Yes, 决 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, making it versatile for various situations.
决 is the verb meaning 'to decide,' while 决定 (juédìng) is a noun or verb phrase meaning 'decision' or 'to determine.'
