Meaning of 决不
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- not at all
- simply (can) not
How to use 决不
决不 is a strong, formal negation placed before a verb to show firm determination or a promise. It often appears in speeches, vows, and writing. Example: 我决不放弃。(Wǒ jué bù fàngqì.) I will never give up.
决 (jué) means to decide firmly, and 不 (bù) means not. Together 决不 is a decided, final "not": never, no matter what.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 决不 with 绝不 (jué bù), which sounds identical and is also correct. 决不 stresses a firm decision, while 绝不 stresses absoluteness. In handwriting, people also mix up 决 (two-dot water radical 冫) with 快 (kuài), which has the heart radical 忄.
决不 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
决 jué · to decide · 6 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
不 bù · no · 4 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Related words
Words that share a character with 决不.
| 对不起 | duìbuqǐ | I'm sorry; excuse me; I beg your pardon; to let (sb) down; to disappoint |
| 是不是 | shì bu shì | is or is not (used to form yes-no questions) |
| 不用 | bùyòng | need not |
| 不大 | bù dà | not very (clear, far away etc); not too; not often; infrequently |
| 不对 | bùduì | incorrect; wrong |
| 不客气 | bù kèqì | you're welcome; don't mention it |
| 不要 | bùyào | don't!; must not |
| 不过 | bùguò | only; merely |
| 不错 | bùcuò | correct; right |
| 不行 | bùxíng | won't do; be out of the question |
| 不同 | bù tóng | different; distinct |
| 不好意思 | bù hǎoyìsi | to feel embarrassed; to find it embarrassing |
Questions about 决不
What does 决不 mean?
决不 (jué bù) means "not at all; simply (can) not".
How do you write 决不?
决不 is made of 2 characters: 决 (6 strokes), 不 (4 strokes). That is 10 strokes in total.
Is 决不 an HSK word?
Yes. 决不 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 决不 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 决不 is written 決不.
Is 决不 the same as 从来不?
No. 从来不 (cónglái bù) describes a habit, meaning someone has never done something up to now. 决不 expresses a firm resolve about the future, like a promise or refusal.
Does the tone of 不 change in 决不?
Yes, when the next syllable is fourth tone. In 决不放弃 the 不 becomes bú because 放 (fàng) is fourth tone, so you say jué bú fàngqì. Before other tones it stays bù.