却

Etymology & Components

The Chinese character 却 (què) is composed of two parts: the radical ⻌ (biàn), which means "to return," and the phonetic component 壳 (ké), which is pronounced similarly to què. The original meaning of 却 was "to return," but over time it has developed several extended meanings, including "to stop," "to refuse," and "to retreat."The character 却 is first recorded in the oracle bone script, the earliest known form of Chinese writing. In the oracle bone script, 却 is depicted as a person walking away from something. This image suggests the original meaning of "to return."In the bronze script, the character 却 is further developed. The person is now shown with a hand raised, as if to stop someone. This image suggests the extended meaning of "to stop."In the seal script, the character 却 is further simplified. The person is now gone, and only the hand remains. This image suggests the extended meaning of "to refuse."In the modern script, the character 却 is further simplified. The hand is now gone, and only the radical ⻌ remains. This image suggests the extended meaning of "to retreat."The character 却 is a versatile character with a rich history. It is used in a variety of words and phrases, and it can have different meanings depending on the context in which it is used.