退 (tuì) · to retreat, to withdraw, to return (goods)

Meanings

1 to retreat
2 to withdraw
3 to return (goods)

Characters

退

tuì

to retreat; to withdraw

Contains the movement radical 辶, indicating motion - specifically motion backward.

Examples

HSK 1

这件衣服可以退吗？

Zhè jiàn yīfu kěyǐ tuì ma?

Can I return this piece of clothing?

HSK 4

他退了一步。

Tā tuì le yí bù.

He took a step back.

HSK 6

请往后退一步。

Qǐng wǎnghòu tuì yí bù.

Please step back one step.

Tips

usage

退货 = return goods. 退款 = refund. Very useful for shopping!

Components

radical

辶 chuò

walking; movement (radical form of 辵)

Wraps the lower-left as the walking radical (side-form of 辵) - declares 退 a kind of motion. Carries the meaning to step backward, to retreat. Same motion family: 进 (advance), 远 (far), 近 (near), 这 (this). The radical is always written last, after the inner component.

semantic

艮 gěn

firm; stop (here semantic)

Inner 艮 - depicts a person turning the head to look back, originally meaning to stop or stand firm against. Combined with the walking radical, the picture is someone walking while looking back: the prototypical retreat. Same family: 很 (very), 根 (root), 跟 (heel/follow), 银 (silver).