推辞 (tuī cí) is a verb meaning 'to decline' or 'to politely refuse' an offer, invitation, request, or responsibility. It combines two characters: 推 (tuī), meaning 'to push away' or 'to defer', and 辞 (cí), meaning 'to resign', 'to decline', or 'to take leave'. Together, they convey the sense of pushing something aside—figuratively rejecting it with courtesy rather than blunt refusal. This word emphasizes politeness and often implies hesitation or modesty, not hostility or indifference.

It’s commonly used in formal or semi-formal situations—such as declining a work assignment, turning down an invitation to speak at an event, or refusing a gift. 推辞 is more refined and less direct than 拒绝 (jùjué, 'to reject'), and carries a tone of respect toward the person making the offer. It frequently appears after subject pronouns or names and before the object (e.g., 推辞邀请, 推辞职务), and is rarely used in casual speech among close friends.