Time flies like a humming bird; it is the time to make a New Year’s resolution!

What your resolution might be? Pretend that You are a smoker, and now let’s learn this important New Year sentence. How to say ” He made a New Year’s resolution to quit smoking” in Chinese: 他下了一个新年的决心要戒菸. Ta1 (他 pronoun, he) xia4 (下verb, set) le5 (了 particle, to show action has completed; refers to already make or set the resolution) yi2 (一 number, one) ge5 (个 measure word, for the noun resolution) xin1 nian2 (新年 noun, New Year) de5 (的 a connecting particle to connect the attribute -xin1 nian2 and the noun -jue2 xin1) jue2 xin1 (决心 noun, resolution) yao4 (要 verb, want) jie4 (戒 verb, quit) yan1 (菸 noun, cigarette).

That is a good smoker’s wish for the new coming year. How about you, what is your resolution? If you are a hard core gamer, your resolution might be to quite the gaming. Then you need to know to say:

Wo3 yao4 jie4 dian4 wan2.

我要戒电玩。

I want to quit gaming.

电玩 dian4 wan2 (dian4 electronic, wan2 means wan2 玩具 ju4 toys) refers to all the electronic games, including Xbox, Wii, Playstation 3 or 4 and computer games too. You can also refer dian4 wan2 as dian4 dong4 you2 xi4 电动游戏. dian4 dong4 means electronic, you2 xi4 means games.

If you want to be more determined, then you should say:

我**下决心**要戒电玩。

Wo3 xia4 jue2 xin1 yao4 jie4 dian4 wan2.

I determined to quit gaming.

I set a resolution to quit electronic games.

If you want to be more serious, then you would say:

我下决心**一定**要戒电玩。

Wo3 xia4 jue2 xin1 yi2 ding4 yao4 jie4 dian4 wan2.

I determined that I must quit gaming.

I set a resolution to definitely want to quit electronic games.

一定 is an adverb phrase to modify the verb yao4 want.

If you are a serious Chinese language learner, your New Year’s resolution might be:

我**下决心**要认真学中文。

Wo3 xia4 jue2 xin1 yao4 ren4 zhen1 xue2 zhong1 wen2.

I set a resolution to seriously study Chinese.

认真 originally mean serious, an adjective, but here it functions as an adverb to modify the verb xue2 study.

If you want to be more 认真 then, you know how you should say? Yes, put the yi2 ding4 一定 definitely into the sentence.

我下决心**一定**要认真学中文。

Wo3 xia4 jue2 xin1 yi2 ding4 yao4 ren4 zhen1 xue2 zhong1 wen2.

I set a resolution to definitely want to study Chinese seriously.

No matter what your resolution might be; I wish you can execute your resolution seriously. In Chinese we say 认真实现你的决心 ren4 zhen1 shi2 xian4 ni3 de5 jue2 xin1 seriously execute your resolution。Now, let’s learn the final proverb for today. 有志者事竟成 you3 zhi4 zhe5,shi4 jing4 cheng2. (you3 zhi4 zhe5,shi4 jing4 cheng2. Literally means “the man who has a firm resolve will surely succeed”) It is similar to the English proverb: There is a will, there is a way.

OK, now let’s have some entertainment to relax our brain a bit from the hardcore thinking about New Year’s resolution. How about let’s listen to this song for a break from resolution?

“Good Life” One Republic + Lyrics



How about one more resolution song!

Do you have more resolution now after you finish reading today’s post? MMMmm, even you don’t have a mindful of resolution now, I am pretty sure that you had two eyesful of resolution already:)