bóhuí: 驳回 - To Reject, Overrule, Dismiss

• Keywords: bohui, 驳回, reject in Chinese, overrule in Chinese, dismiss a case Chinese, deny an application Chinese, Chinese legal terms, how to say reject a proposal, turn down a request, bo hui
• Summary: Learn the formal Chinese verb 驳回 (bóhuí), a crucial term for understanding official, legal, and business contexts. Meaning to “reject,” “overrule,” or “dismiss,” 驳回 (bóhuí) signifies a formal denial of a request, proposal, or legal appeal by an authority. This guide breaks down its usage in courts, government offices, and corporate settings, contrasting it with the more general term for “refuse,” 拒绝 (jùjué).

• Pinyin (with tone marks): bóhuí
• Part of Speech: Verb
• HSK Level: HSK 6
• Concise Definition: To formally reject, overrule, or dismiss a request, proposal, appeal, or legal case.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 驳回 (bóhuí) as the official stamp that says “DENIED.” It's not the word you use to turn down a friend's dinner invitation. Instead, it's used by a figure or institution of authority—like a judge dismissing a lawsuit, a government office denying a visa application, or a manager formally rejecting an employee's proposal. The word carries a sense of finality and is based on rules, regulations, or a lack of merit.

• 驳 (bó): This character means “to refute,” “to contradict,” or “to argue against.” It's composed of the radical for horse, 马 (mǎ), and a phonetic component. While the horse connection is historical, today it's primarily associated with disputing or countering an argument.
• 回 (huí): This character simply and clearly means “to return” or “to go back.” It's a foundational character that depicts a spiral or something turning back on itself.
• When combined, 驳回 (bóhuí) literally means “to refute and send back.” This paints a vivid picture: an authority examines a request or case, finds it lacking, refutes its claims, and sends it back to the originator, effectively closing the matter.

驳回 (bóhuí) is a word deeply embedded in the formal, hierarchical structures of Chinese society, particularly in its legal and bureaucratic systems. The act of “bóhuí” is not a negotiation or a simple disagreement; it is a top-down decision made by an entity with the power to do so. In Western culture, particularly American culture, “rejection” can be a very broad concept, ranging from a casual “no” to a formal denial. The English word “reject” doesn't inherently carry the same weight of formality as 驳回 (bóhuí). For example, you can “reject” a theory or “reject” a friend's offer. In Chinese, these situations would call for different words. 驳回 is specifically reserved for contexts where a formal process is involved. This reflects a cultural emphasis on procedure, documentation, and respect for the final decision of an authoritative body, whether it's a court, a government agency, or a company's management. Using this word correctly shows a sophisticated understanding of social and professional registers in China.

驳回 (bóhuí) is almost exclusively used in formal written and spoken Chinese. You will frequently encounter it in news reports, legal documents, and official correspondence.

• Legal Context: This is the most common usage. Courts 驳回 appeals, lawsuits, and motions.
  • e.g., 法院驳回了被告的上诉。(Fǎyuàn bóhuí le bèigào de shàngsù.) - The court dismissed the defendant's appeal.
• Administrative & Governmental Context: Government agencies 驳回 applications for visas, permits, licenses, patents, etc.
  • e.g., 他的签证申请因材料不全被驳回了。(Tā de qiānzhèng shēnqǐng yīn cáiliào bù quán bèi bóhuí le.) - His visa application was rejected due to incomplete materials.
• Formal Business/Corporate Context: A superior or a committee may 驳回 a proposal, a request for funding, or a formal plan submitted by an employee or a department.
  • e.g., 董事会驳回了关于新项目的提议。(Dǒngshìhuì bóhuí le guānyú xīn xiàngmù de tíyì.) - The board of directors rejected the proposal for the new project.

The connotation is neutral but firm and decisive. It is not inherently negative or insulting; it simply states the outcome of a formal evaluation process.

• Example 1:
  • 最高法院驳回了他的上诉。
  • Pinyin: Zuìgāo fǎyuàn bóhuí le tā de shàngsù.
  • English: The Supreme Court dismissed his appeal.
  • Analysis: A classic and very common legal usage of the term.
• Example 2:
  • 由于证据不足，法官驳回了此案。
  • Pinyin: Yóuyú zhèngjù bùzú, fǎguān bóhuí le cǐ àn.
  • English: Due to insufficient evidence, the judge dismissed the case.
  • Analysis: Here, a reason for the 驳回 is provided, which is very common in official statements.
• Example 3:
  • 我们的预算申请不幸被管理层驳回了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen de yùsuàn shēnqǐng bùxìng bèi guǎnlǐcéng bóhuí le.
  • English: Unfortunately, our budget request was rejected by the management.
  • Analysis: This example uses the passive voice with `被 (bèi)`, which is very common with 驳回 since the subject is often the recipient of the rejection.
• Example 4:
  • 编辑驳回了我的稿件，并建议我做一些重大修改。
  • Pinyin: Biānjí bóhuí le wǒ de gǎojiàn, bìng jiànyì wǒ zuò yīxiē zhòngdà xiūgǎi.
  • English: The editor rejected my manuscript and suggested I make some major revisions.
  • Analysis: This shows usage in a formal professional context outside of law, like publishing.
• Example 5:
  • 专利局驳回了该公司的专利申请。
  • Pinyin: Zhuānlìjú bóhuí le gāi gōngsī de zhuānlì shēnqǐng.
  • English: The patent office rejected the company's patent application.
  • Analysis: A typical example from a government/administrative context.
• Example 6:
  • 他的无理要求当场被驳回。
  • Pinyin: Tā de wúlǐ yāoqiú dāngchǎng bèi bóhuí.
  • English: His unreasonable demand was rejected on the spot.
  • Analysis: This sentence has a stronger, more negative tone because of `无理要求` (unreasonable demand), but the formality of 驳回 remains.
• Example 7:
  • 如果信息填写不正确，您的申请将被自动驳回。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ xìnxī tiánxiě bù zhèngquè, nín de shēnqǐng jiāng bèi zìdòng bóhuí.
  • English: If the information is filled out incorrectly, your application will be automatically rejected.
  • Analysis: Often seen in instructions on application forms, highlighting its procedural nature.
• Example 8:
  • 委员会以七票对三票的表决结果驳回了这项动议。
  • Pinyin: Wěiyuánhuì yǐ qī piào duì sān piào de biǎojué jiéguǒ bóhuí le zhè xiàng dòngyì.
  • English: The committee rejected the motion with a vote of seven to three.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates its use in parliamentary or committee proceedings.
• Example 9:
  • 他提出的所有论点都被对手一一驳回。
  • Pinyin: Tā tíchū de suǒyǒu lùndiǎn dōu bèi duìshǒu yīyī bóhuí.
  • English: All the arguments he raised were refuted one by one by his opponent.
  • Analysis: A slightly more abstract usage, where “arguments” in a formal debate are being “rejected” or “refuted.”
• Example 10:
  • 政府驳回了建造新化工厂的提议，理由是环保问题。
  • Pinyin: Zhèngfǔ bóhuí le jiànzào xīn huàgōngchǎng de tíyì, lǐyóu shì huánbǎo wèntí.
  • English: The government rejected the proposal to build a new chemical plant, citing environmental concerns.
  • Analysis: A clear example of a government body rejecting a large-scale proposal for a stated reason.

The most critical mistake for English speakers is using 驳回 (bóhuí) in casual, everyday situations. It is a “false friend” with the general English word “reject.”

• Mistake: Using 驳回 (bóhuí) for social invitations.
  • Incorrect: 他驳回了我看电影的邀请。(Tā bóhuí le wǒ kàn diànyǐng de yāoqǐng.)
  • Why it's wrong: This sounds absurdly formal and serious, as if you submitted a legal motion to go to the movies and your friend, the judge, denied it.
  • Correct: 他拒绝了我看电影的邀请。(Tā jùjué le wǒ kàn diànyǐng de yāoqǐng.)
• Mistake: Using 驳回 (bóhuí) for refusing a gift.
  • Incorrect: 我驳回了他的礼物。(Wǒ bóhuí le tā de lǐwù.)
  • Why it's wrong: This is too strong and impersonal. It sounds like you are an official entity denying the “application” of a gift.
  • Correct: 我拒绝了他的礼物。(Wǒ jùjué le tā de lǐwù.) or 我没收他的礼物。(Wǒ méi shōu tā de lǐwù.)

Rule of Thumb: If the situation does not involve a formal application, proposal, lawsuit, or an official request to an authority, do not use 驳回 (bóhuí). Use 拒绝 (jùjué) for general refusals.

• 拒绝 (jùjué) - The most common and general word for “to refuse” or “to reject.” Use this for everyday situations like declining invitations, offers, or help. It is the neutral counterpart to 驳回.
• 否决 (fǒujué) - To veto; to overrule by exercising authority. Very similar to 驳回, but often implies a specific power to stop something from passing, like a UN Security Council veto.
• 反对 (fǎnduì) - To oppose; to object to. This is about expressing a contrary opinion, not necessarily having the power to stop something. People can 反对 a plan, but only an authority can 驳回 it.
• 不同意 (bù tóngyì) - To disagree. The softest term, simply stating a difference of opinion.
• 上诉 (shàngsù) - To appeal (a legal decision). An appeal is the action that is often met with a 驳回.
• 申请 (shēnqǐng) - Application; to apply for. An application is the document or request that often gets 驳回.
• 推辞 (tuīcí) - To decline (politely). This is used for gracefully turning down offers, invitations, or appointments, often out of modesty or etiquette.
• 撤销 (chèxiāo) - To revoke; to cancel. This applies to something that was already approved or in effect (e.g., to revoke a license), whereas 驳回 applies to something that was never approved in the first place.