拿不定主意

ná bu dìng zhǔyi

phrase

Meanings

1 can't make up one's mind
2 unable to decide
3 be in two minds

Characters

idea, intention

Examples

HSK 1

我到现在还拿不定主意去不去。

Wǒ dào xiànzài hái nábudìngzhǔyi qù bu qù.

I still can't make up my mind about whether to go.

HSK 1

她拿不定主意要买哪件。

Tā nábudìngzhǔyi yào mǎi nǎ jiàn.

She can't decide which one to buy.

HSK 7-9

你再拿不定主意，机会就溜走了。

Nǐ zài nábudìngzhǔyi, jīhuì jiù liūzǒu le.

If you keep waffling, the opportunity will slip away.

Tips

grammar

This is a potential complement: 拿得定主意 (can make up your mind) vs 拿不定主意 (can't). The 定 means "fix / settle," literally "grab but can't settle on an idea." The affirmative 拿定主意 is also common: 他早就拿定了主意 (he made up his mind long ago).

Stroke Order

拿 ná

不 bù

定 dìng

主 zhǔ

意 yì