Meaning
The N1 kanji 却 (kyaku) has a fascinating range of meanings, revolving primarily around 'rejection,' 'retreat,' and 'on the contrary' or 'instead.' Essentially, 却 implies a movement away or a reversal of a previous state or expectation. It can signify the act of turning something down, sending it back, or withdrawing from a position. In a more adverbial sense, often seen in the reading 却って, it expresses a result that is the opposite of what was anticipated.
Looking at its etymology, 却 is a phono-semantic compound. It combines two components: 去 (kyo/ko; sa(ru)), meaning "to go away" or "to leave," and 卩 (setsu; fushizukuri). The latter is a radical often associated with kneeling or a seal, and by extension, human action or movement related to a boundary or section. The "去" component provides the primary meaning of "leaving" or "moving away," while "卩" acts as a phonetic element, hinting at the sound and perhaps reinforcing the idea of a decisive action or demarcation. Together, these components visually suggest sending something away, pushing back, or retreating from a position, perfectly encapsulating its core meanings of rejection and withdrawal.
Visually, imagine the '去' (going away) being acted upon or directed by the '卩' (a person's action or a decisive mark). This imagery leads to the idea of something being sent back or rejected. This kanji consists of 7 strokes. It is not assigned to a specific elementary school grade, but rather falls under the supplementary Joyo Kanji list. This makes it part of the advanced characters learned in secondary education or beyond.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi of 却, derived from its original Chinese pronunciation, is predominantly used when 却 forms part of a compound word. For 却, the main on'yomi is キャク (kyaku).
キャク (kyaku): This reading is crucial for many formal and legalistic terms involving rejection, dismissal, or retreat. It conveys a strong sense of definitive action or opposition.
却下 (kyakka) — This is a very common word meaning "rejection," "dismissal," or "turning down." It's frequently used in legal contexts, such as when a court dismisses a case or an application is turned down.
退却 (taikyaku) — Meaning "retreat" or "withdrawal," often used in military contexts or when someone is forced to back down.
売却 (baikyaku) — This refers to the "sale" or "disposal" of property or assets, indicating a transfer away from the original owner.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Kun'yomi are native Japanese readings that connect directly to existing Japanese words. While 却 has a historical kun'yomi of しりぞ・く (shirizo・ku), meaning 'to retreat' or 'to repel,' it's very rarely written with this kanji in modern Japanese. Instead, 退く (shirizoku) is typically used. However, its most prominent and commonly encountered kun'yomi usage comes in the form of an adverb: 却って (kaette).
かえ・って (kae・tte): This adverb is extremely common in everyday Japanese, though it's almost always written in hiragana (かえって). It means "on the contrary," "rather," or "instead," expressing a result opposite to what was expected or intended. Its origin from 却 suggests a "turning back" or "reversal."
却って (kaette) — The adverb itself, used to introduce a contrasting or unexpected outcome.
却って 悪化 (kaette akka) — To worsen instead; to get worse despite efforts.
却って 時間がかかる (kaette jikan ga kakaru) — It takes more time instead (or on the contrary).
Common Words & Compounds
This section delves into some common and useful words featuring the kanji 却, categorized by their general themes:
Legal and Administrative Terms:
却下 (kyakka) — Rejection; dismissal; turning down (e.g., an application, a lawsuit).
付却 (fukyaku) — Dismissal; putting aside (e.g., of a complaint or a motion).
破却 (hakyaku) — Demolition; destruction (e.g., of a contract or an old building).
Movement and Action:
退却 (taikyaku) — Retreat; withdrawal (often in a military context).
返却 (henkyaku) — Return (of something borrowed, rented, or submitted).
売却 (baikyaku) — Sale; disposal (of assets, property).
滅却 (mekkyaku) — Extinction; annihilation; disposal (e.g., of desires, debt, or old documents).
Adverbial Usage (often with 却って):
却って (kaette) — On the contrary; rather; instead; all the more. This is an essential adverb for expressing unexpected or inverse outcomes.
却って 逆効果 (kaette gyakukōka) — Conversely counterproductive; having the opposite effect.
却って 都合が悪い (kaette tsugō ga warui) — Rather inconvenient; it turns out to be inconvenient contrary to expectation.
Example Sentences
彼の提案は却下された。
Kare no teian wa kyakka sareta.
His proposal was rejected.
その対策は却って、問題を悪化させた。
Sono taisaku wa kaette, mondai o akka saseta.
That measure, on the contrary, made the problem worse.
図書室から本を返却するのを忘れてしまった。
Toshoshitsu kara hon o henkyaku suru no o wasurete shimatta.
I forgot to return the book to the library.
「もう少し待って」と言ったら、却って怒らせてしまった。
"Mō sukoshi matte" to ittara, kaette okorasete shimatta.
When I said "Wait a little longer," I only made them angrier instead.
会社は不要な資産を売却する方針だ。
Kaisha wa fuyō na shisan o baikyaku suru hōshin da.
The company's policy is to sell off unnecessary assets.
裁判所は訴訟を却下した。
Saibansho wa soshō o kyakka shita.
The court dismissed the lawsuit.
敵軍は徐々に退却を開始した。
Tekigun wa jojo ni taikyaku o kaishi shita.
The enemy army gradually began to retreat.
安いものを買ったら、却って修理にお金がかかった。
Yasui mono o kattara, kaette shūri ni okane ga kakatta.
Buying something cheap ended up costing more for repairs instead.
彼の発言は、却って周囲の反感を買った。
Kare no hatsugen wa, kaette shūi no hankan o katta.
His remarks, on the contrary, incurred resentment from those around him.
Memory Tip
To remember 却, break it down into its components: 去 (go, leave) and 卩 (a kneeling person, or a seal/section). Imagine you have an old, faulty seal (卩) you want to get rid of. You decide to send it away, to make it go (去) from your possession. You literally reject it and push it back. Alternatively, visualize a person kneeling (卩) to retreat (去) from a battle, symbolizing a turning back. The idea of 'going away' or 'sending back' is central. So, when you see '去' being directed by the '卩' radical, think of it being 'rejected' or 'sent back' – hence, 却!