出路
chūlù · HSK 6
way out
🚪 出 (exit) + 路 (road) = exit road, i.e. a way out
出 means to go out or exit; 路 means road or path. Together 出路 literally reads exit-road, which extends from a literal escape route to figurative outlets like job prospects or solutions to a problem.
出 — foot 止 emerging from enclosure 凵
出 is a pictograph showing a foot or plant stepping out of a hollow or enclosure, depicting the act of going forth. The original sense of 'coming out' or 'emerging' has remained stable since oracle bone script. It now broadly means 'to exit, go out, or produce.'
路 — foot 足 + each 各 (phonetic)
路 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The foot radical 足 on the left signals meaning related to walking or travel, while 各 on the right hints at the ancient pronunciation. Originally referring to a road traveled on foot, it broadened to mean 'road, path, route' in general.