Lessons 20, 22, 25: Attitude and manner: 决心, 了不起, 尽情, 干脆

Four words expressing determination, outstanding quality, doing something to one's heart's content, and decisiveness.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 20 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 22 · Hanyu 6 · Lesson 25

才学了半年多就说得这么好，真了不起！

Cái xuéle bàn nián duō jiù shuō de zhème hǎo, zhēn liǎobuqǐ!

You've studied for only a little over half a year and already speak so well. That's really impressive!

Explanation

决心 (Determination; English: determination, be determined to):

A. (noun) 决心 serves as subject, modifier, or object. As an object it can be combined with the verb 下 or 有 (下决心, 有决心).

B. (verb) firm will, clear decision (坚定意志，拿定主意). Must take a verb as its object; cannot take 了, 着, 过.

Note: 决心 cannot be used as an adverbial. You cannot say: *他决心地要学好汉语.

了不起 (Extraordinary, outstanding; English: extraordinary, remarkable):

A. Extraordinary, very outstanding (不平凡；很突出). As a modifier it needs 的.

B. Major, serious (重大；严重). Often said as 有 (没, 没有) 什么了不起的, expressing refusal to be impressed, dissatisfaction, unimportance, even "envy".

尽情 (To one's heart's content; English: to one's heart's content, heartily)

to do something as much as one wishes, following one's own ideas or feelings without restraint (尽量按照自己的想法或由着自己的感情去做，不受拘束).

干脆 (Clear-cut, straightforward; English: clear-cut, straightforward):

A. (adjective) direct, frank, straightforward (直接，爽快). Serves as predicate, adverbial, and complement; cannot be reduplicated.

B. (adverb) means 索性: might as well, just go ahead and... (simply, just, altogether).

Structure

1
下/有决心 | 决心Vverb
A (noun): serves as subject, modifier, object; as an object it goes with 下/有. B (verb): must take a verb as its object, cannot take 了/着/过. 决心 cannot be an adverbial (you can't say *他决心地要学好汉语).
- 我学好汉语的决心是不会改变的。
  Wǒ xuéhǎo Hànyǔ de juéxīn shì bú huì gǎibiàn de.
  My determination to learn Chinese well will not change.
- 我决心以一个母亲的耐力，点燃儿子心中的希望之火。
  Wǒ juéxīn yǐ yí ge mǔqin de nàilì, diǎnrán érzi xīnzhōng de xīwàng zhī huǒ.
  I am determined to use a mother's patience to light the fire of hope in my son's heart.
- 他决心为环保事业贡献自己的一切。
  Tā juéxīn wèi huánbǎo shìyè gòngxiàn zìjǐ de yíqiè.
  He is determined to devote everything he has to the cause of environmental protection.
- 他下决心要自己办个公司。
  Tā xià juéxīn yào zìjǐ bàn ge gōngsī.
  He made up his mind to start a company of his own.
- 我们有决心把这个工作做好。
  Wǒmen yǒu juéxīn bǎ zhège gōngzuò zuòhǎo.
  We are determined to do this job well.
- 我决心戒烟。
  Wǒ juéxīn jièyān.
  I am determined to quit smoking.
2
真/很了不起 | 没有什么了不起的
A: extraordinary, very outstanding; as a modifier it needs 的. B: major, serious; often said as 有 (没, 没有) 什么了不起的, expressing refusal to be impressed, dissatisfaction, unimportance, even envy.
- 听完我的讲述，校长说：“你真是一位了不起的母亲。”
  Tīngwán wǒ de jiǎngshù, xiàozhǎng shuō: “Nǐ zhēn shì yí wèi liǎobuqǐ de mǔqin.”
  After listening to my story, the principal said: "You are truly an extraordinary mother."
- 我们虽然已经做出了了不起的成绩，但是不能骄傲。
  Wǒmen suīrán yǐjīng zuòchūle liǎobuqǐ de chéngjì, dànshì bù néng jiāo'ào.
  Although we have achieved extraordinary results, we must not be arrogant.
- 才学了半年多就说得这么好，真了不起！
  Cái xuéle bàn nián duō jiù shuō de zhème hǎo, zhēn liǎobuqǐ!
  You've studied for only a little over half a year and already speak so well. That's really impressive!
- 困难没有什么了不起的，只要我们不怕，认真对待，就一定能克服。
  Kùnnan méiyǒu shénme liǎobuqǐ de, zhǐyào wǒmen bú pà, rènzhēn duìdài, jiù yídìng néng kèfú.
  Difficulties are nothing to make a fuss about; as long as we are not afraid and face them seriously, we will surely overcome them.
- 你有什么了不起的，为什么这么看不起人？
  Nǐ yǒu shénme liǎobuqǐ de, wèishénme zhème kàn bu qǐ rén?
  What's so great about you that you look down on other people?
3
尽情 (地)Vverb
To do things as one wishes or as one's feelings dictate, without restraint.
- 我要你做我的研究生，是让你在我的支持下，尽情地反对我的理论。
  Wǒ yào nǐ zuò wǒ de yánjiūshēng, shì ràng nǐ zài wǒ de zhīchí xià, jìnqíng de fǎnduì wǒ de lǐlùn.
  I want you to be my graduate student so that, with my support, you can freely argue against my theory to your heart's content.
- 要是你高兴就尽情地唱吧。
  Yàoshi nǐ gāoxìng jiù jìnqíng de chàng ba.
  If you're happy, then sing to your heart's content.
- 同学们，让我们尽情地唱吧、跳吧！
  Tóngxuémen, ràng wǒmen jìnqíng de chàng ba, tiào ba!
  Everyone, let's sing and dance to our heart's content!
- 趁这几天放假，我们尽情地玩几天。
  Chèn zhè jǐ tiān fàngjià, wǒmen jìnqíng de wán jǐ tiān.
  Taking advantage of these few days off, let's play to our heart's content for a few days.
4
干脆 (Adj) | 干脆V (phó từ)
A (adjective): direct, frank; serves as predicate, adverbial, complement; cannot be reduplicated. B (adverb): 索性, might as well just go ahead and...
- 他这人办事很干脆，行就是行，不行就是不行，只要他答应你的事，一定给你办到。
  Tā zhè rén bànshì hěn gāncuì, xíng jiù shì xíng, bù xíng jiù shì bù xíng, zhǐyào tā dāyìng nǐ de shì, yídìng gěi nǐ bàndào.
  He is very decisive in his work: yes is yes and no is no, and once he agrees to something with you, he will definitely get it done.
- 汉语把忌妒别人叫“红眼”或“眼红”，甚至干脆说忌妒人的人是“得了红眼病。”
  Hànyǔ bǎ jìdù biérén jiào “hóngyǎn” huò “yǎnhóng”, shènzhì gāncuì shuō jìdù rén de rén shì “déle hóngyǎnbìng.”
  In Chinese, being jealous of others is called "red eyes", and people who are often jealous are even said outright to have "red-eye disease".
- 我问他去不去，他回答得很干脆：去！
  Wǒ wèn tā qù bu qù, tā huídá de hěn gāncuì: qù!
  I asked him whether he was going, and he answered very decisively: Yes!
- 那儿离这儿不远，我们别坐车了，干脆骑车去吧。
  Nàr lí zhèr bù yuǎn, wǒmen bié zuò chē le, gāncuì qí chē qù ba.
  That place isn't far from here, so let's not take a car; we might as well just go by bike.
- 我们别去食堂了，干脆自己做饭吃吧。
  Wǒmen bié qù shítáng le, gāncuì zìjǐ zuòfàn chī ba.
  Let's not go to the cafeteria; we might as well just cook for ourselves.

Usage notes

决心 (verb) must take a verb as its object; it cannot take 了, 着, 过.
了不起 as a modifier needs 的 (一位了不起的母亲); 干脆 (adjective) cannot be reduplicated.

Common mistakes

~~他决心地要学好汉语~~
决心 cannot be an adverbial; say 他决心学好汉语

Practice

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