刷新 literally means 'to brush anew' — 刷 (shuā) conveys the action of sweeping or applying something repeatedly, while 新 (xīn) means 'new' or 'fresh'. Together, they express the idea of renewing or updating something to its latest state. The word is most commonly used in digital contexts, such as refreshing a webpage or app interface to load new content, but it also extends to achievements: breaking a record is described as 刷新纪录 (shuā xīn jìlù), i.e., 'refreshing the record' to reflect a new high.

In everyday speech, 刷新 is almost always verbal and requires an object (e.g., 刷新页面, 刷新纪录). It’s neutral in register — appropriate in both casual conversation and formal reporting — and rarely appears as a noun without modification (e.g., 'a refresh' would be expressed as 一次刷新, not just 刷新 alone).