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駁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
駁bóvariegated, motley; to refuse, to disputezg, 14 strokes, radical 馬
bó(bo2)bo T2
  1. 1variegated, motley; to refuse, to dispute
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March 24, 2026

駁bó(bo2)

The character 駁 (bó) primarily means variegated or motley, often used to describe something that is diverse or mixed in appearance. Additionally, it can mean to dispute or refuse, commonly used in contexts where one counters an argument or denies a claim.

Strokes14Radical馬
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese discourse, the art of debate and disputation has a significant history, exemplified by Confucian scholars who often engaged in intellectual disputes to refine their thoughts and beliefs.

Memory tip

Imagine a colorful peacock (the variegated aspect) strutting around, refusing to blend in with the other plain birds. The character 駁 combines the radical for horse (馬) with a component suggesting dispute, reminding you of a horse that refuses to race with others.

Meanings of 駁

bó(bo2)
1variegated, motley; to refuse, to dispute
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 駁

駁Simplified
14Strokes
馬Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 駁

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Podcast: 駁

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AI study notes for 駁

Quick Contrast

反驳 (fǎnbó) — use 駁 (bó) when emphasizing the diversity or mixed nature of something, rather than simply countering an argument.

Usage Notes

While 駁 can mean to dispute, it's more formal and often used in written contexts rather than casual conversations. Common collocations include 駁斥 (bóchì, to refute) and 駁回 (bóhuí, to dismiss). Be careful with pronunciation, as tone errors can change meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 駁 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, it is useful for learners looking to expand their understanding of argumentative language. Focus on the context of disputes and how it relates to other HSK words about disagreement or variety.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 駁 with similar sounding words, such as 博 (bó, to broaden), leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying 駁学 (bóxué) instead of 博学 (bóxué, knowledgeable) can result in confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 駁

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Etymology of 駁

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 马 represents the meaning and 爻 represents the sound. Simplified form of 駁.

Memory hint

horse

Semantic (meaning)馬
+
Phonetic (sound)爻
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

駁 = 馬 + 爻. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 駁

IDS Structure⿰馬爻
駁Full character
=
馬ma3
left
爻yao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 駁?

How to say variegated, motley; to refuse, to dispute in Chinese

“variegated, motley; to refuse, to dispute” in Chinese is駁bó

The character 駁 (bó) primarily means variegated or motley, often used to describe something that is diverse or mixed in appearance. Additionally, it can mean to dispute or refuse, commonly used in contexts where one counters an argument or denies a claim.

When to use 駁

While 駁 can mean to dispute, it's more formal and often used in written contexts rather than casual conversations. Common collocations include 駁斥 (bóchì, to refute) and 駁回 (bóhuí, to dismiss). Be careful with pronunciation, as tone errors can change meaning.

駁 or something close to it

反驳 (fǎnbó) — use 駁 (bó) when emphasizing the diversity or mixed nature of something, rather than simply countering an argument.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 駁 with similar sounding words, such as 博 (bó, to broaden), leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying 駁学 (bóxué) instead of 博学 (bóxué, knowledgeable) can result in confusion.

Write 駁

駁

Practice writing 駁 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 駁

Words containing this character19
驳回bóhuíto reject駁回
反驳fǎnbóto retort反駁
驳bóvariegated駁
驳斥to refute駁斥
辩驳to dispute辯駁
斑驳mottled斑駁
驳船barge駁船
批驳to criticize批駁
驳倒to refute駁倒
驳壳枪Mauser pistol駁殼槍
驳杂heterogeneous駁雜
斑驳陆离variegated斑駮陸離
驳运lighter駁運
拖驳barge拖駁
驳议to correct (in writing) sb's errors or misconceptions駁議
驳正to refute and correct駁正
驳嘴to quarrel駁嘴
驳复to refute駁復
驳面子to contradict sb to his face駁面子
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 駁

What does 驳回 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 駁

Both mean to dispute, but 駁 is more formal and often used in written contexts, while 反驳 is more common in everyday speech.

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