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Kotomora

却

instead, on the contrary, rather, step back, withdraw, retreat

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 1,000Strokes7

Readings

On'yomi

  • キャク

Kun'yomi

  • かえ.って
  • しりぞ.く
  • しりぞ.ける

Meaning

却 centers on a reversal or turning away: stepping back, withdrawing, or doing something contrary to expectation. The core idea is a movement opposite to forward progress, which naturally extends to meanings like 'instead' or 'on the contrary'.

Most common words using 却

20 of 70
  • 売却ばいきゃく

    selling off; disposal by sale; sale

  • 冷却れいきゃく
    N1

    cooling; refrigeration

  • 却ってかえって
    N2

    on the contrary; rather; instead; all the more

  • 却下きゃっか
    N1

    rejection; dismissal

  • 返却へんきゃく
    N3

    return of something; repayment

  • 焼却しょうきゃく

    incineration; destruction by fire

  • 脱却だっきゃく

    ridding oneself; freeing oneself of; growing out of; overcoming; outgrowing

  • 退却たいきゃく

    retreat; withdrawal; retirement

  • 忘却ぼうきゃく
    N1

    lapse of memory; forgetting completely; (consigning to) oblivion

  • 棄却ききゃく
    N1

    rejection; dismissal; turning down; abandoning; renunciation

  • 償却しょうきゃく

    repayment; redemption

  • 滅却めっきゃく

    extinguishment; destruction; effacement

  • 阻却そきゃく

    rejection

  • 焼却灰しょうきゃくばい

    incinerated ash; burned ash; ash

  • 減価償却げんかしょうきゃく

    depreciation

  • 冷却期間れいきゃくきかん

    cooling-off period

  • ガス冷却炉ガスれいきゃくろ

    gas-cooled reactor

  • ファン冷却式ファンれいきゃくしき

    fan-equipped cooling system; fan-cooled system

  • リービヒ冷却器リービヒれいきゃくき

    Liebig condenser

  • 一次冷却水いちじれいきゃくすい

    primary cooling water

Explore all words using 却 →

Study

Etymology

却 is the modern simplified form of 卻. The older form combines 谷 (valley) with 卩 (a kneeling person), suggesting a person retreating or turning away. The modern form replaces 谷 with 去 (go away), which reinforces the idea of withdrawal.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 去 means 'go away', and the right side 卩 looks like a person kneeling or stepping back. Together they show someone stepping back and going away, which captures the idea of withdrawing or doing the opposite.

Reading mnemonic

For キャク, imagine a person stepping back from a giant 'kyak' sound—like a sudden, sharp noise that makes you retreat. Kyak -> キャク, and you withdraw from the startling sound.