How to Write 驳 (bó) — Meaning “To refute; to contradict; barge”

Imagine a horse (马) crossing its legs in an X shape (爻) to block your path – that horse is arguing with you and refusing to move. The crossed lines help you recall that 驳 means to refute or contradict.

Write the left radical 马 with 3 strokes (horizontal, vertical, horizontal) in a narrow shape. Then write the right part 爻 with 4 strokes: two crossed strokes (撇 and 捺) twice, making sure each pair crosses. A common mistake is confusing 爻 with 义 (yì) – the right side must have two crossing pairs, not just one.

驳 (bó) means to refute or a barge, with the right side 爻 (crossed lines). 驭 (yù) means to drive a horse, with the right side 又 (hand). 驮 (tuó) means to carry on a horse's back, with the right side 大 (big). Visually, 驳 has crossing lines, 驭 has a hand shape, and 驮 has a big shape under the horse.

驳 is common in formal or legal settings: 反驳 means to rebut an argument, and 驳回 means to reject a court appeal. In everyday speech, you might also hear 驳船 for "barge", a type of flat boat. The character carries a strong sense of opposition, so it is often used in debates or official decisions.

Common words containing 驳 include: 反驳 (fǎn bó) — To refute; to rebut; 驳回 (bó huí) — To reject; to overrule; 驳船 (bó chuán) — Barge.