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撤回 (chè huí) — to recall, to revoke

Definition

撤回 means to pull back or cancel something already issued — an application, order, or statement. Closest sibling is 撤销 (cancel/revoke, often laws or permissions); 退回 is more about physically returning an item.

verb
to recallto revoke

Examples

  • 撤回。
    Tā chè huí le zì jǐ de shēn qǐng.
    He withdrew his application.
  • 撤回。
    Zǒng jīng lǐ chè huí le zhī qián de mìng lìng.
    The general manager revoked the previous order.
  • 撤回。
    Zhèng fǔ yǐ jīng chè huí le nà xiàng zhèng cè.
    The government has already revoked that policy.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

撤chèwithdraw
回huíback

撤 (withdraw) plus 回 (back) gives the idea of pulling something back.

Characters in this word

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
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
徹
徹chè撤chè
Same sound today

撤 pairs 扌 (hand) with 徹, which gives the sound. The shape shows removing something by hand.

Open 撤 →

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

回 comes from a drawing of a spiral, showing something turning around.

Open 回 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6Change & Process

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