How to Write 拒 (jù) — Meaning “To resist / To refuse”

Imagine your hand (扌) blocking a giant (巨) object from entering a door. The hand says "I refuse to let this huge thing pass." This mental picture ties the hand radical and the giant component to the meaning of refusal.

The left side 扌 should be narrow and written first, with the vertical hook straight. The right side 巨 has three horizontal strokes in a row, then a vertical fold (竖折) that ends with a horizontal — be careful not to draw an extra stroke or connect the bottom incorrectly.

拒 means to refuse or resist, while 扑 (pū, 扌+卜) means to rush at or throw oneself onto something, like a cat pouncing. 㧜 is a rare character that is not used in modern Chinese, so you will almost never encounter it.

拒 is often used in formal or serious contexts, such as 拒绝 (jùjué, to reject an offer or request), 拒付 (jùfù, to refuse payment), and 拒收 (jùshōu, to refuse to accept a package). It appears in legal documents, business communications, and official notices.

Common words containing 拒 include: 拒绝 (jù jué) — To refuse / To reject; 拒付 (jù fù) — To refuse to pay; 拒收 (jù shōu) — To refuse to accept.