evade, avoid, avert, ward off, shirk, shun
避 centers on keeping away from something undesirable: evading danger, avoiding a person, averting a problem, or shirking a duty.
避 combines the movement radical 辶 with 辟, which likely contributes the sound ヒ and carries a sense of 'avoiding' or 'keeping away'. The exact historical development of 辟 is complex, but the combination clearly expresses evasion through movement.
The movement radical 辶 suggests walking away, and the inner 辟 looks like a complex obstacle. Picture yourself sidestepping a thorny barrier to avoid trouble.
For ヒ, imagine you see a dangerous snake and let out a sharp 'Hee!' as you jump back to evade it: Hee -> ヒ.
to avoid (physical contact with)
taking refuge; finding shelter; evacuation; escape; seeking safe haven
evasion; avoidance
escape; evasion; flight
inevitable; inescapable; unavoidable
contraception; birth control
taking refuge; evacuation
evasion; avoidance; shirking
escaping the summer heat; going somewhere cooler during the summer; summering
runaway trip; journey of escape; flight from the world
taking refuge and waiting (for the danger to pass)
lightning rod
carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance network; CSMA; CA network
deadlock avoidance
risk aversion; risk reduction
register save area
primary evacuation shelter (for initial use in emergencies)
to keep one's distance from someone (due to fear or because that person is superior)
evacuation shelter for people who require additional care (e.g. the elderly and disabled)
contraception