定 dìng — to set; to fix; to determine; to decide; to order
我们定好了见面的时间。Wǒ men dìng hǎo le jiàn miàn de shí jiān.We have set the time to meet.
Common words: 一定 (yī dìng)、不一定 (bù yī dìng)、决定 (jué dìng)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "to decide"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "to decide", including 定 (dìng), 决 (jué). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words…
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "to decide" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 定 (dìng), 决 (jué) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span dìng, jué — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 定 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 定 dìngto set; to fix; to determine; to decide; to orderUseful words: 一定, 不一定
- 决 juébreach (a dyke); to decide; to determineUseful words: 决定, 解决
Common words for these 2 "to decide" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 定 (dìng) — so "to decide" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
一定yī dìngsurely; certainly; definitely; fixed不一定bù yī dìngnot necessarily; maybe决定jué dìngto decide; to determine; to make up one's mind; decision (决定jué dìngto decide; to determine; to make up one's mind; decision (解决jiě juéto solve; to resolve; to settle (a problem); to eliminate决赛jué sàifinals (of a competition)
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "to decide".
决 jué — breach (a dyke); to decide; to determine
这件事我还没决定。Zhè jiàn shì wǒ hái méi jué dìng.I have not decided this matter yet.
Common words: 决定 (jué dìng)、解决 (jiě jué)、决赛 (jué sài)
All 2 characters
Open 定、决 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.