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不予 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
不予bùyǔto withholdHSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #16816, Very Hard
不予bùyǔto refuseHSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, rank #16816, Very Hard
bùyǔ(bu4yu3)bu yu T4
  1. 1to withhold
  2. 2to refuse
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March 24, 2026

不予bùyǔ(bu4yu3)

不予 (bù yǔ) means 'to withhold' or 'to refuse,' often used in formal contexts such as legal documents or official communications. It conveys a sense of denial or lack of permission, emphasizing that something will not be granted or provided.

Strokes8Frequency#16816DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese legal contexts, understanding terms like 不予 is crucial, as they reflect the formal structures of authority and governance that are prevalent in society. It underscores the importance placed on written agreements and formal refusal.

Memory tip

Think of 不 (bù) as a stop sign, indicating 'no' or 'not' and 予 (yǔ) as a hand reaching out to give. Together, they create the image of a hand being stopped from giving, symbolizing refusal or withholding.

Meanings of 不予

bùyǔ(bu4yu3)
1to withhold
2to refuse
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About 不予

不予Simplified
8Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

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AI study notes for 不予

Quick Contrast

拒绝 (jùjué) vs 不予 (bùyǔ): use 拒绝 when emphasizing the act of rejecting a proposal or request, while 不予 is more formal and often used in legal or official contexts to indicate withholding permission.

Usage Notes

不予 is typically used in formal situations and may not be suitable for casual conversation. A common mistake is to use it interchangeably with simpler terms like 拒绝 (jùjué - to reject), which may not convey the same level of formality. Be mindful of the tone: 不予 is neutral and formal.

HSK Study Tips

While 不予 is not included in HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK Level 4 words related to denial or rejection, such as 拒绝 (jùjué). Students should focus on understanding formal language contexts and recognizing when to use 不予 appropriately.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 不予 with similar words like 不给 (bù gěi - not give), which is less formal. For instance, saying '我不予你这个' instead of '我不给你这个' can sound overly formal in casual settings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 不予

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Component characters

不bù(negative prefix)
HSK 14 strokes一
View full entry
予yú(archaic) I
4 strokes亅
View full entry

How to say to withhold in Chinese

“to withhold” in Chinese is不予bùyǔ

不予 (bù yǔ) means 'to withhold' or 'to refuse,' often used in formal contexts such as legal documents or official communications. It conveys a sense of denial or lack of permission, emphasizing that something will not be granted or provided.

When to use 不予

不予 is typically used in formal situations and may not be suitable for casual conversation. A common mistake is to use it interchangeably with simpler terms like 拒绝 (jùjué - to reject), which may not convey the same level of formality. Be mindful of the tone: 不予 is neutral and formal.

不予 or something close to it

拒绝 (jùjué) vs 不予 (bùyǔ): use 拒绝 when emphasizing the act of rejecting a proposal or request, while 不予 is more formal and often used in legal or official contexts to indicate withholding permission.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 不予 with similar words like 不给 (bù gěi - not give), which is less formal. For instance, saying '我不予你这个' instead of '我不给你这个' can sound overly formal in casual settings.

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不
予

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Frequently asked questions about 不予

Use 不予 in formal contexts, such as official documents or legal language, while 拒绝 is more suitable for everyday situations.

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