A refusenik is a person who refuses to do something they are told or expected to do — join in, follow a rule, obey an order. The word came from a very specific place.

A refusenik is a person who refuses to do something they are told or expected to doA refusenik是指一個人拒絕去做別人叫他做、或期待他做的事 — join in, follow a rule, obey an order——像是加入、遵守規定、服從命令。The word came from a very specific place這個字來自一個非常特定的地方。

In the Soviet Union, Jewish people who asked for permission to leave the country and move to Israel were often told no. Those people were called refuseniks — they were the ones who had been REFUSED. So at the start, the word did not mean the person who refused; it meant the person who was refused.

In the Soviet Union在蘇聯，Jewish people who asked for permission to leave the country and move to Israel were often told no猶太人申請離境移居以色列時常常被拒絕。Those people were called refuseniks這些人就被叫做refuseniks — they were the ones who had been REFUSED——因為他們是被拒絕的那群人。So at the start, the word did not mean the person who refused所以一開始，這個字指的不是拒絕別人的人；it meant the person who was refused而是被拒絕的人。

That is a strange twist, and it is worth knowing, because the meaning has since flipped in everyday English. Today, when a British or American speaker says refusenik, they almost always mean the opposite: someone who is doing the refusing, on purpose, and usually for a reason they believe in.

That is a strange twist這是個奇怪的轉折，and it is worth knowing值得知道，because the meaning has since flipped in everyday English因為這個字在日常英文裡意思後來完全反過來了。Today, when a British or American speaker says refusenik今天英美人士說refusenik的時候，they almost always mean the opposite幾乎都是指相反的意思：someone who is doing the refusing, on purpose, and usually for a reason they believe in指刻意拒絕、而且通常是為了自己相信的理由才拒絕的人。

A person who will not use a smartphone, will not get a certain vaccination, will not sign the new contract at work — a newspaper may call each of them a refusenik. The tone is important.

A person who will not use a smartphone一個不肯用智慧型手機的人，will not get a certain vaccination、不肯打某種疫苗的人，will not sign the new contract at work、不肯簽新工作合約的人 — a newspaper may call each of them a refusenik——報紙可能都叫他們refusenik。The tone is important語氣很重要。

It is a slightly light, slightly journalistic word. It is not a legal or formal term, and you will meet it more in newspapers, magazines and opinion pieces than in careful writing or in speech.

It is a slightly light, slightly journalistic word這個字帶點輕鬆、帶點新聞腔。It is not a legal or formal term它不是法律或正式用語，and you will meet it more in newspapers, magazines and opinion pieces你會更常在報紙、雜誌和評論文章裡遇到它than in careful writing or in speech而不是在講究的寫作或口語裡。

It can sound half-admiring (this person stands firm) and half-teasing (this person is being difficult about nothing). Which one it is depends completely on what the writer thinks of the refusing.

It can sound half-admiring它聽起來可以一半是佩服(this person stands firm)（這個人很堅定）and half-teasing一半是調侃(this person is being difficult about nothing)（這個人在無理取鬧）。Which one it is depends completely on what the writer thinks of the refusing到底是哪一種，完全看作者怎麼看待這種拒絕。

The word is much commoner in British English than American. Note also that the person is usually refusing something small or everyday now — the huge political weight of the Soviet original has mostly worn off, though a well-read person still hears it faintly.

The word is much commoner in British English than American這個字在英式英文裡比美式常見得多。Note also that the person is usually refusing something small or everyday now也要注意，現在被拒絕的通常是小事或日常瑣事 — the huge political weight of the Soviet original has mostly worn off——蘇聯原始詞義那種沉重的政治份量大多已經淡去，though a well-read person still hears it faintly不過讀得多的人還是隱約聽得出那個味道。