Meaning
The kanji 避 (ひ) primarily means "to avoid," "to evade," "to shun," "to take shelter," or "to ward off." It refers to a range of actions aimed at moving away from something undesirable, dangerous, or uncomfortable, or simply keeping a distance. This can apply to physical objects, adverse situations, or even abstract concepts like responsibility or conflict.
This kanji is crucial for expressing ideas related to safety, risk management, and deliberately avoiding certain circumstances. Its flexible usage allows for expressing everything from physically dodging a ball to strategically evading a difficult question.
The kanji 避 is a semantic-phonetic compound, a common type of kanji where one part suggests the meaning and another provides the sound. The left-side radical, 辶 (しんにょう, shinnyō), is the "path" or "walk" radical. It implies movement, travel, or progression, suggesting actions that involve changing location or direction.
The right-side component, 辟 (へき/ひ), primarily acts as the phonetic element, giving the kanji its sound 'hi'. Historically, 辟 also held semantic weight in ancient Chinese, meaning "to open up," "to avoid," "to ward off," "to flee," or "to escape." When combined, the 'path' radical (辶) emphasizes movement, and the phonetic component (辟) conveys the core concept of 'avoidance' or 'moving away.' Thus, 避 visually represents taking a path to move away from, bypass, or escape something.
The visual shape of 避 effectively conveys its meaning through this combination. The prominent 辶 radical suggests motion and direction, indicating a deliberate change in course or trajectory. Imagine someone walking along a path (辶) who, upon encountering an obstacle or danger, consciously decides to move away or bypass it (suggested by 辟). This visual connection makes it intuitive to grasp the kanji's core meaning: evading, seeking refuge, and preventing undesirable encounters.
The kanji 避 has 16 strokes, a moderate number for an N1 kanji. It's on the Joyo Kanji list, making it an official character for general use, although typically learned at advanced levels of Japanese.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
On'yomi are Chinese-derived readings, usually found in compound words. For 避, the primary on'yomi is ヒ (hi).
**ヒ (hi)**: This reading appears in many compound words. It often conveys a formal or abstract sense of avoidance, evasion, or refuge, especially in technical or official contexts.避難 (hinan) — evacuation, taking refuge. This refers to moving to a safe place, often from dangers like natural disasters or conflict.
例：災害時には、避難場所へ速やかに向かってください。
In case of disaster, please head to an evacuation shelter quickly.
- 回避 (kaihi) — avoidance, evasion. This implies actively steering clear of a problem, responsibility, conflict, or any undesirable situation through deliberate action.
例：彼は責任の回避を試みた。
He attempted to evade responsibility.
- 忌避 (kihi) — evasion, shirking. This means to avoid or shun something due to dislike, disgust, moral objection, or legal reasons (e.g., a judge recusing themselves or a witness refusing to testify).
例：証人は証言を忌避した。
The witness refused to testify.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
Kun'yomi are native Japanese readings, typically used when the kanji stands alone or is part of a verb with okurigana (送り仮名). For 避, there are two main kun'yomi, each with distinct nuances in usage: さ.ける (sakeru) and よ.ける (yokeru).
**さ.ける (sakeru)**: This transitive verb means "to avoid," "to evade," or "to shun." It implies a deliberate choice to keep distance from or prevent an encounter, applying to both physical and abstract things.危険を避ける (kiken o sakeru) — to avoid danger. This common phrase highlights preventative action or conscious risk management.
例：彼はいつも危険を避けるようにしている。
He always tries to avoid danger.
- 争いを避ける (arasoi o sakeru) — to avoid conflict. This refers to interpersonal disputes, arguments, or broader societal conflicts.
例：彼女は人との争いを避ける傾向がある。
She tends to avoid conflicts with people.
- 人目を避ける (hitome o sakeru) — to avoid public notice, to keep out of sight. This suggests a desire for privacy or anonymity, often meaning to hide from public view.
例：有名人は人目を避けて移動した。
The celebrity moved to avoid public attention.
**よ.ける (yokeru)**: This is also a transitive verb, meaning "to avoid," "to dodge," or "to ward off." It often implies an immediate, physical action to get out of the way of something approaching, or to take direct shelter from elements. The focus is usually on quick, reactive movement.雨を避ける (ame o yokeru) — to take shelter from the rain. This involves actively finding cover or stepping aside.
例：急に雨が降り出したので、軒下で雨を避けた。
It suddenly started raining, so we took shelter under the eaves.
- 球を避ける (tama o yokeru) — to dodge a ball. This requires quick physical agility and an immediate reaction to avoid impact.
例：彼は飛んでくる球を巧に避けた。
He skillfully dodged the incoming ball.
- 日差しを避ける (hizashi o yokeru) — to avoid the sun's glare/rays. This means seeking shade or actively shielding oneself from direct sunlight.
例：夏は強い日差しを避けるのが賢明だ。
During summer, it's wise to avoid strong sunlight.
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 避 appears in many important Japanese vocabulary words, from everyday actions to formal and specialized terms. Here's a selection of common words and compounds, organized by theme to show how broadly this kanji is used.
General Avoidance and Evasion: These terms often refer to actively steering clear of something, whether physical or abstract.
回避 (kaihi) — avoidance, evasion (e.g., of problems, responsibility, or conflict).
忌避 (kihi) — evasion, shirking; avoiding due to dislike, disgust, or legal grounds (e.g., a witness refusing to testify, or a judge recusing themselves from a case).
迂避 (uhi) — detour, circumvention, evasion (a less common, more formal term for avoiding a direct route or issue).
Taking Refuge and Shelter: These compounds relate to finding safety or comfort away from adverse conditions.
避難 (hinan) — evacuation, taking refuge, seeking shelter (important during disasters).
避難所 (hinanjo) — evacuation center, shelter (a designated safe location, like a school gym after an earthquake).
避暑 (hisho) — summering, avoiding summer heat (e.g., going to a cooler place for vacation).
避暑地 (hishochi) — summer resort (a place popular for escaping summer heat, like Karuizawa).
避寒 (hikan) — wintering, avoiding winter cold (e.g., traveling to a warmer climate).
避寒地 (hikanchi) — winter resort (a place popular for escaping winter cold, like Okinawa).
退避 (taihi) — retreat, withdrawal, taking cover (can be used in military contexts or for computer processes like saving data).
Preventative Measures and Controlling Exposure: These terms involve active steps to prevent undesirable outcomes or control exposure to something.
避妊 (hinin) — contraception (measures to avoid pregnancy).
避雷針 (hiraishin) — lightning rod (a device designed to avoid damage from lightning strikes).
避光性 (hikousei) — photophobia, light-avoidance (a biological or medical term describing an organism's or person's tendency to avoid light, such as nocturnal animals).
Verbal Forms (Kun'yomi): These are the basic verb forms, allowing 避 to be used flexibly with varying nuances.
避ける (sakeru) — to avoid, to shun, to avert (a general, often deliberate, avoidance).
避ける (yokeru) — to avoid, to dodge, to ward off, to take shelter (often implying more immediate physical action or reaction).
Example Sentences
多くの人が災害から避難するため、安全な場所へ移動した。
Ooku no hito ga saigai kara hinan suru tame, anzen na basho e idō shita.
Many people moved to a safe place to evacuate from the disaster.
彼は不快な会話を避けるように、そっとその場を離れた。
Kare wa fukai na kaiwa o sakeru yō ni, sotto sono ba o hanareta.
He quietly left the place to avoid an unpleasant conversation.
突然降り出した雨を避けるため、私たちは商店街の屋根の下に走り込んだ。
Totsuzen furidashita ame o yokeru tame, watashitachi wa shōtengai no yane no shita ni hashirikonda.
To take shelter from the sudden rain, we ran under the roof of the shopping arcade.
政治家は記者たちの質問を回避し、無言で会場を後にした。
Seijika wa kishatachi no shitsumon o kaihi shi, mugon de kaijō o ato ni shita.
The politician evaded the reporters' questions and left the venue in silence.
健康のために、過度なストレスは避けるべきだと医者に言われた。
Kenkō no tame ni, kado na sutoresu wa sakeru beki da to isha ni iwareta.
I was told by the doctor that I should avoid excessive stress for my health.
直射日光を避けるために、日傘をさして歩いた。
Chokusha nikkō o yokeru tame ni, higasa o sashite aruita.
I walked with a parasol to avoid direct sunlight.
会社は顧客からの苦情を避けるために、製品の品質向上に努めている。
Kaisha wa kokyaku kara no kujō o sakeru tame ni, seihin no hinshitsu kōjō ni tsutomete iru.
The company is striving to improve product quality to avoid complaints from customers.
緊急時に備え、どこに避難すべきか事前に確認しておくことが重要だ。
Kinkyūji ni sonae, doko ni hinan subeki ka jizen ni kakunin shite oku koto ga jūyō da.
In preparation for emergencies, it is important to confirm beforehand where to evacuate.
彼は周囲の期待を避け、自分の道を進むことを選んだ。
Kare wa shūi no kitai o sake, jibun no michi o susumu koto o eranda.
He chose to avoid the expectations of those around him and follow his own path.
新型ウイルスを避けるため、手洗いやうがいを徹底している。
Shingata uirusu o yokeru tame, tearai ya ugai o tettei shite iru.
To avoid the new virus, I am thoroughly washing my hands and gargling.
Memory Tip
To remember the kanji 避 effectively, focus on its two main components. The left part, 辶 (しんにょう), is the "path" or "walk" radical, signifying movement, travel, or progression along a route. This component strongly suggests the action of going somewhere or moving.
The right part, 辟 (へき/ひ), serves as the phonetic component, giving the kanji its on'yomi (ヒ). More importantly for a memory tip, 辟 also had ancient meanings like "avoiding," "warding off," or "opening up a path to escape."
Combine these ideas: Imagine walking along a "path" (辶) when you suddenly encounter something undesirable or dangerous. Your immediate reaction is to "avoid" (辟) it by quickly changing your course or moving out of its way along that very path. Alternatively, visualize 辟 as an open door or gate providing an escape route, and 辶 as you moving along a path towards that opening to "avoid" a bad situation. This image of moving on a path to actively avoid, evade, or take refuge from something undesirable perfectly encapsulates the meaning of 避.