退避 (tuì bì) — to avoid (encountering someone or something); to withdraw and keep away

Definition

退避 means 'to withdraw and keep one's distance' — often from a person, danger, or responsibility — with a sense of stepping back rather than just steering clear. It is a separable verb: 退 + object + 避 (e.g. 退到一边), unlike the simpler 避.

verb
to avoid (encountering someone or something)to withdraw and keep away

Examples

  • ，退避。
    Tā jiàn dào wǒ, jiù tuì bì dào yì biān qù le.
    When he saw me, he withdrew to one side.
  • ，退避。
    Yù dào wēi xiǎn shí, yīng gāi lì jí tuì bì.
    When encountering danger, you should immediately withdraw.
  • 退避。
    Bú yào yīn wéi hài pà pī píng jiù tuì bì zé rèn.
    Don't avoid responsibility because you fear criticism.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

退tuìwithdraw
避bìavoid

退 (“withdraw”) and 避 (“avoid”) combine to mean keep away from something.

Characters in this word

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

  • 皀皀jífood vessel
  • 夊夊suīdownward foot

退 originally showed 皀, a food vessel, with 夊, a downward foot, for leaving the table after eating. In modern 退, the vessel part 皀 changed into an unrelated shape.

Open 退 →

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuòto walk
Sound part声符shēngfú
辟
辟pì避bì
Same sound today

避 is built from 辶, a walking-related form, plus 辟, which gives the pronunciation.

Open 避 →

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