TongTong
Sign in

否决 (fǒu jué) — to veto; to overrule

Definition

否决 (fǒujué) means 'to veto' — typically a higher authority rejecting a proposal, plan, or decision. Stronger than 驳回, which is used for dismissing appeals or applications.

verb
to vetoto overrule

Examples

  • 否决。
    Dǒng shì huì fǒu jué le zhè xiàng bìng gòu jì huà.
    The board vetoed this merger plan.
  • 否决。
    Zuì gāo fǎ yuàn fǒu jué le dì fāng fǎ yuàn de pàn jué.
    The Supreme Court overruled the lower court's decision.
  • 否决，。
    Tā de tí yì bèi fǒu jué le, yīn wèi quē fá zhī chí.
    His proposal was vetoed because it lacked support.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

否fǒudeny
决juédecision

否 (deny) and 决 (decision) combine to mean rejecting a decision or proposal.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
不
不bù否pǐ
Same sound today

否 is built from 口 (mouth) and 不 (not), with 不 giving the sound and 口 relating to speech.

Open 否 →

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 決; 决 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
氵Written in full as水shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài決jué
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 決 has 氵 (water) and 夬, which gives the sound. This describes 決, not the simplified 决.

Open 决 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Conflict & AgreementManagement

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.