驳斥 (bó chì) — to refute, to denounce, to reject (an argument, accusation, etc.)

Definition

驳斥 means to refute or denounce an argument, accusation, or claim — typically a public, forceful rebuttal. The complement 反驳 focuses on responding point-by-point; 驳斥 is stronger and more condemnatory in tone.

verb
to refuteto denounceto reject (an argument, accusation, etc.)

Examples

  • 驳斥。
    Tā gōng kāi bó chì le nà xiē bù shí zhǐ kòng.
    He publicly refuted those false accusations.
  • 驳斥。
    Zhèng fǔ fā yán rén qiáng liè bó chì le zhè zhǒng shuō fǎ.
    The government spokesperson strongly denounced this claim.
  • 驳斥。
    Xué zhě men fēn fēn bó chì nà ge huāng miù de lǐ lùn.
    Scholars have all rejected that absurd theory.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

驳bórefute
斥chìdenounce

驳 and 斥 both express rejecting or denouncing, together meaning refute.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 駁; 驳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
馬馬mǎhorse
Sound part声符shēngfú
爻
爻yáo駁bó
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 駁 pairs 馬, a horse, with 爻, which gives the sound and can also be interpreted as marks; the simplified 驳 is a later abbreviation.

Open 驳 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
广广guǎngbuilding
Sound part声符shēngfú
屰
屰nì斥chì
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

An older form paired 广 (building) with 屰 (sound part); 斥 developed from that shape.

Open 斥 →

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