罷
quit, stop, leave, withdraw, go
Readings
On'yomi
- ヒ
Kun'yomi
- まか.り-
- や.める
Meaning
罷 centers on ceasing an activity or state: quitting, stopping, leaving, or withdrawing from something. The sense of 'go' is an older or literary application of departing or ending.
Most common words using 罷
- 罷免ひめん
dismissal (from a position); discharge
- 同盟罷業どうめいひぎょう
strike
- 総同盟罷業そうどうめいひぎょう
general strike
- 総罷業そうひぎょう
general strike
- 罷りまかり
emphatic verbal prefix
- 罷り成らぬまかりならぬ
not be allowed; must not
- 罷免権ひめんけん
authority to dismiss someone (from a position)
- 罷官ひかん
removal from office
- 罷業ひぎょう
strike; walkout
- 身罷るみまかる
to pass away; to die
Study
Etymology
罷 combines 罒 (net) and 能 (ability/bear), but the historical origin is not a simple semantic compound. It likely originally depicted a bear caught in a net, symbolizing being stopped or exhausted, which extended to quitting or ceasing.
Meaning mnemonic
Imagine a bear (能) tangled in a net (罒) and unable to continue—it has to quit, stop, and withdraw from the struggle.
Reading mnemonic
For ヒ, picture the bear letting out a weary 'hee' sound as it gives up: hee -> ヒ, and the exhausted bear quits.