'Juè lǘ' literally means 'stubborn donkey'—a vivid, colloquial metaphor for a person who is extremely inflexible, unwilling to listen to reason, or obstinately set on their own way. The character 倔 (juè) alone carries the meaning of 'obstinate' or 'unyielding', while 驴 (lǘ) evokes the traditional cultural image of the donkey as slow-moving and hard to persuade—a symbol of pigheadedness across many Chinese idioms and expressions.

This term is informal and often used with mild teasing or affectionate exasperation, especially among family members or close friends. It’s rarely used in formal writing or serious criticism; instead, it appears in everyday speech, storytelling, or light-hearted banter. While slightly humorous, it can carry a gentle reprimand, implying that the person’s stubbornness is more comical than harmful—but still counterproductive.