決 means “decide”

きめる · kimeru

Also: fix, agree upon, appoint

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

きめる, きまる, さく

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ケツ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 3 · 7 strokes

The story

Water (氵) breaking through a gap in the bank (夬): the old sense of 決, still alive in 決壊, a levee giving way. Once the water is through there is no going back, and that is how 決める, to decide, should feel.

Used in 決める (kimeru, to decide), 解決 (kaiketsu, solution/settlement), and 決して (kesshite, never)

More from Council & Debate

• 反 against
• 判 judgment
• 認 recognize
• 参 join
• 論 argument
• 投 throw
• 談 talk
• 可 possible
• 断 refuse
• 否 no
• 許 permit
• 賛 approve

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.