婉拒 (wǎn jù) — to tactfully decline

Definition

A formal verb meaning to decline politely without giving offense. Less common than 拒绝; the 婉 prefix signals tact and courtesy, making it the choice for invitations, offers, or sensitive refusals.

verb
to tactfully decline
Easily confused

Examples

  • 婉拒。
    Tā lǐ mào dì wǎn jù le duì fāng de yāo qǐng.
    He tactfully declined the other party's invitation.
  • ，婉拒。
    Miàn duì zhè fèn gōng zuò, tā wǎn jù le.
    Faced with this job, she tactfully declined.
  • ，婉拒。
    Wǒ liǎo jiě nǐ de hǎo yì, dàn wǒ bì xū wǎn jù.
    I appreciate your kindness, but I must tactfully decline.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

婉wǎntactful/gentle
拒jùrefuse

婉 gives the tactful manner, and 拒 states the refusal; together it means decline politely.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 婉 →

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
巨
巨jù拒⁰jù
Same sound today

拒 pairs 扌 (hand) with 巨, a part that gives the sound.

Open 拒 →

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