fǒujué: 否决 - Veto, Overrule, Reject

• Keywords: 否决, foujue, fǒujué, veto in Chinese, how to say overrule in Chinese, reject a proposal in Chinese, Chinese political vocabulary, business negotiation Chinese, UN veto Chinese, 否决 meaning, 否决 vs 拒绝.
• Summary: Discover the meaning of 否决 (fǒujué), the powerful Chinese verb for “to veto” or “overrule.” This guide explains its use in formal contexts like politics, law, and business negotiations. Learn the crucial difference between 否决 (fǒujué) and the more common “reject” (拒绝, jùjué), and see practical examples of how this HSK 6 term is used to block proposals and decisions with authority.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fǒujué
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To reject or overrule a proposal, decision, or motion, often by exercising authority; to veto.
• In a Nutshell: 否决 (fǒujué) is a strong, formal “no” that carries official weight. It's not just disagreeing; it's using one's power or position to completely block something from happening. Think of a president vetoing a bill passed by congress, or a manager shutting down a subordinate's project plan. It implies a hierarchy and a final, decisive action.

• 否 (fǒu): This character means “to negate,” “no,” or “not.” It's one of the fundamental ways to express negation in Chinese.
• 决 (jué): This character means “to decide” or “to determine.” It often carries a sense of finality and resolution.
• Together, 否决 (fǒujué) literally means “to decide in the negative” or “to make a decision of negation.” This combination perfectly captures the modern meaning of vetoing or formally overruling something.

The term 否决 (fǒujué) is almost exclusively used in formal, hierarchical environments like government, law, and large corporations. Its usage reflects a clear power dynamic. In Western culture, the concept of a “veto” is a well-understood part of the checks-and-balances system in government. Similarly, in China, 否决 (fǒujué) is most famously associated with the United Nations Security Council, where China is one of the five permanent members with “veto power” (一票否决权, yī piào fǒujué quán). However, its use touches on the Chinese cultural value of “face” or social harmony (面子, miànzi). An outright 否决 (fǒujué) is a very direct and confrontational act. In many business or social situations, a superior might avoid using this strong term to prevent a subordinate from losing face. Instead of saying “我否决你的计划 (Wǒ fǒujué nǐ de jìhuà)” (I veto your plan), they might use softer language like “我们再考虑一下 (Wǒmen zài kǎolǜ yīxià)” (Let's reconsider this) or “这个方案可能不太成熟 (Zhège fāng'àn kěnéng bù tài chéngshú)” (This plan might not be mature enough). The act of a formal 否决 (fǒujué) is therefore a very serious and unambiguous exercise of authority.

You will encounter 否决 (fǒujué) primarily in formal written and spoken contexts. It is almost never used in casual, everyday conversation among peers.

• Politics and Law: This is the most common context. It's used for legislative votes, UN resolutions, and official motions.
  • e.g., “The president vetoed the bill.”
• Business and Corporate Settings: A board of directors, CEO, or manager can 否决 a proposal, merger, or budget. The term implies that the person or group has the final say.
  • e.g., “The committee rejected the marketing proposal.”
• Figurative Use (Less Common): In a family setting, a parent might jokingly say they are “vetoing” a child's request for a new video game, using the term to humorously assert their parental authority. This is the exception, not the rule.

The connotation of 否决 (fǒujué) is neutral to negative. It is a neutral description of a formal process, but for the party whose proposal is being vetoed, it is clearly a negative outcome.

• Example 1:
  • 联合国安理会的一个常任理事国否决了该决议。
  • Pinyin: Liánhéguó Ānlǐhuì de yīgè chángrèn lǐshìguó fǒujué le gāi juéyì.
  • English: A permanent member of the UN Security Council vetoed the resolution.
  • Analysis: This is a classic, textbook example of 否决 used in an international political context.
• Example 2:
  • 董事会否决了那项合并计划。
  • Pinyin: Dǒngshìhuì fǒujué le nà xiàng hébìng jìhuà.
  • English: The board of directors vetoed the merger plan.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the term's use in a high-level corporate setting.
• Example 3:
  • 他的提议被委员会否决了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de tíyì bèi wěiyuánhuì fǒujué le.
  • English: His proposal was rejected (vetoed) by the committee.
  • Analysis: Here, the passive voice marker 被 (bèi) is used, which is very common with 否决.
• Example 4:
  • 经理有权否决任何不合理的预算申请。
  • Pinyin: Jīnglǐ yǒu quán fǒujué rènhé bù hélǐ de yùsuàn shēnqǐng.
  • English: The manager has the authority to veto any unreasonable budget request.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the connection between 否决 and authority (有权, yǒu quán - to have the right/authority).
• Example 5:
  • 由于缺乏资金，我们的项目申请被否决了。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú quēfá zījīn, wǒmen de xiàngmù shēnqǐng bèi fǒujué le.
  • English: Due to a lack of funding, our project application was rejected.
  • Analysis: Shows a reason being given for the veto, a common structure in official communication.
• Example 6:
  • 我担心我的计划会被老板一票否决。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ dānxīn wǒ de jìhuà huì bèi lǎobǎn yī piào fǒujué.
  • English: I'm worried my plan will be vetoed outright by the boss.
  • Analysis: Uses the common phrase 一票否决 (yī piào fǒujué), which means “one-vote veto” or to be rejected by a single, decisive vote.
• Example 7:
  • 法官否决了律师提出的反对意见。
  • Pinyin: Fǎguān fǒujué le lǜshī tíchū de fǎnduì yìjiàn.
  • English: The judge overruled the objection raised by the lawyer.
  • Analysis: An example of 否决 in a legal context, synonymous with “overrule.”
• Example 8:
  • 这个决定性的因素否决了所有其他的可能性。
  • Pinyin: Zhège juédìngxìng de yīnsù fǒujué le suǒyǒu qítā de kěnéngxìng.
  • English: This decisive factor ruled out all other possibilities.
  • Analysis: A more abstract, figurative use of the word, where a “factor” is personified as having the power to veto outcomes.
• Example 9:
  • 我们不能因为一个小错误就否决整个团队的努力。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bùnéng yīnwèi yīgè xiǎo cuòwù jiù fǒujué zhěnggè tuánduì de nǔlì.
  • English: We can't negate the entire team's effort just because of one small mistake.
  • Analysis: This shows 否决 used to mean “negate” or “invalidate” in a formal, evaluative sense.
• Example 10:
  • 父母否决了我暑假去旅行的计划。
  • Pinyin: Fùmǔ fǒujué le wǒ shǔjià qù lǚxíng de jìhuà.
  • English: My parents vetoed my plan to travel during summer vacation.
  • Analysis: This is an informal, almost humorous use. It emphasizes the parents' absolute authority in a family context, treating their decision like an official veto.

The most common mistake for English speakers is confusing 否决 (fǒujué) with 拒绝 (jùjué). They can both be translated as “reject,” but their usage is completely different.

• 否决 (fǒujué): To veto/overrule a plan, motion, proposal, or resolution. It requires a position of authority. It's an official action.
• 拒绝 (jùjué): To refuse/reject an offer, invitation, request, or help. It's a personal action and doesn't require any special authority.

Incorrect Usage:

• `我否决了朋友的晚餐邀请。` (Wǒ fǒujué le péngyou de wǎncān yāoqǐng.)
• Why it's wrong: Vetoing a dinner invitation is grammatically and socially bizarre. It's not a formal proposal.
• Correct: `我拒绝了朋友的晚餐邀请。` (Wǒ jùjué le péngyou de wǎncān yāoqǐng.) - I refused my friend's dinner invitation.

Incorrect Usage:

• `他拒绝了那个法案。` (Tā jùjué le nàge fǎ'àn.)
• Why it's wrong: While not strictly impossible, if “he” is a president with veto power, 否决 is the precise and proper term for a bill (法案, fǎ'àn). 拒绝 sounds too personal and weak.
• Correct: `他否决了那个法案。` (Tā fǒujué le nàge fǎ'àn.) - He vetoed that bill.

Key takeaway: Use 否决 (fǒujué) for official proposals and decisions from a position of power. Use 拒绝 (jùjué) for personal requests and invitations.

• 拒绝 (jùjué) - To refuse or reject. The more common, personal, and general term for saying no to a request or offer.
• 反对 (fǎnduì) - To oppose or be against. This expresses disagreement, but doesn't necessarily mean you have the power to stop something. You can oppose a plan that ultimately gets passed.
• 同意 (tóngyì) - To agree or approve. A direct antonym.
• 通过 (tōngguò) - To pass or approve (a bill, a proposal). The direct opposite outcome of a proposal being vetoed.
• 驳回 (bóhuí) - To reject or dismiss. Often used in legal or official contexts, like a court rejecting an appeal (驳回上诉). It's a close synonym but more specific to formal dismissals.
• 提案 (tí'àn) - A proposal or a motion. This is the type of thing that is often subject to being 否决.
• 一票否决权 (yī piào fǒujué quán) - The right of one-vote veto; veto power. A critical political and business concept.
• 权力 (quánlì) - Power or authority. The prerequisite for being able to 否决 something.