Deferral
dif-ER-ul /dɪˈfɜːrəl/
Formal Neutral
What it really means
Officially moving an exam or deadline to the next opportunity because of serious circumstances, with the mark not capped. It must be approved through the mitigating circumstances process — you cannot just skip the exam.
Chinese explanation
因严重情况经批准把考试或作业推迟到下一次机会，成绩不封顶。必须通过特殊情况申请获批——不能直接不去考试。
Example conversation
A: I can't sit the exam — I'm having surgery that week.
B: Ask for a deferral with the hospital letter; you'd sit it in August as a first attempt.
A：我考不了试——那周要做手术。
B：拿医院证明申请缓考；八月再考，算首次机会。
What you could say back
No spoken reply needed for this one.
Related phrases
Official sources
Rules and amounts change — confirm important details with the official source.
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· Last checked 24 July 2026 · Report a mistake