Key Learning Points (Preview):
商量 (shāngliang): v. to discuss/talk over
决定 (juédìng): n./v. decision/to decide
A long time ago, there was a monster called “夕 (Xī).” The monster was fond of bullying and eating people, especially beautiful girls. People hated the monster, but had no way to stop it. There was a hunter called “七郎 (Qīláng)” who was very strong and skilled with an arrow. He wanted to help his people by killing the monster, so he spent a year looking for it. On the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month, the hunter came to a town where many people lived. He thought the monster might come, so he and the people “商量 (shāngliang) discussed” how to kill the monster. They “决定 (juédìng) decided” to use noise to scare the monster out into the open and then kill it. When they made noise, just as expected, the monster was scared and came out into the open whereupon the hunter shot it dead. From then on, people called the thirtieth of the twelfth lunar month “除夕 (chúxī).””除 (chú)” means “to get rid of” and “夕 (xī)” is the name of the monster. Now on New Year’s Eve, every family stays up late and sets off firecrackers to repel ominous things and welcome happiness.
商量 (shāngliang): v. to discuss/talk over
Wǒ yǒu diǎnr sīshì hé nǐ shāngliang.
我 有 点儿 私事 和你 商量。
I have something personal to discuss with you.
Zhè ge wèntí wǒmen yǐjīng shāngliang guò le.
这 个 问题 我们 已经 商量 过 了。
We have already discussed this problem.
决定 (juédìng): n./v. decision/to decide
Zhè ge juédìng jiāng gǎibiàn tā de yì shēng.
这 个 决定 将 改变 他 的 一 生。
The decision will change his life.
Tā juédìng fàngqì zhè ge jīhuì.
她 决定 放弃 这 个 机会。
She decided to give up this opportunity.