拒之门外 (jù zhī mén wài) — to shut the door on someone; to refuse entry or reject someone's request

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

拒 pairs 扌 (hand) with 巨, a part that gives the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The shape pairs 止, a foot, with 一, a beginning place, and means to go.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 門; 门 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 門 pictures a gate as two door shapes side by side; the simplified 门 is a later shorthand.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

外 pairs 卜 with 月, a crescent moon; in its older form, the 卜 part had a horizontal bar extending outward, giving the sense of outside.