remove, withdraw, disarm, dismantle, reject, exclude
撤 centers on taking something away or pulling it back: removing objects, withdrawing people or forces, dismantling structures, or rejecting and excluding things from consideration.
撤 combines 扌 (hand) with a phonetic component historically related to 徹, suggesting the action of removing or clearing away by hand.
The hand radical 扌 is pulling away the complex right side, like a hand removing obstacles or dismantling a structure piece by piece.
For テツ, imagine using a hand to remove a heavy iron (鉄, てつ) plate: 鉄 -> テツ, and the hand withdraws it.
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evacuation; withdrawal; revocation; repeal; retreat
removal; taking away; dismantling (a building, facilities, etc.); withdrawal (of troops)
withdrawal; retraction; revocation; repeal
annulment; abolition; repeal; rescission
removal (of a building, equipment, etc.); dismantling (e.g. a tent); striking (a stage set, camp, etc.)
All ships retreat (military command); complete ship withdrawal
total (full-scale) withdrawal; complete pullout (pullback)
taking back what one just said; eating one's words; negating one's previous comment, opinion, etc.
pulling out of a market; withdrawing from a market
strategic withdrawal; strategic retreat
withdrawal of troops
complete revocation; total retraction
abolition of regulations; deregulation
complete disarmament
troop withdrawal