还
hái · HSK 1
still
还 = 辶 (walk) + 不 (not) — walking back; 'still' returning, hái
The 辶 radical means walking/going, and 不 hints at the phonetic. Together: keep going back, hence 'still, yet'. As a verb (huán) it means 'return' — same root idea: still coming back around.
还 — 辶 (walk) + 不 (not) — phonetic
还 is the simplified form of 還. The traditional form combines the walking radical 辶 with 睘 (a phonetic element originally depicting an eye over a ring), suggesting 'to go around and return.' The simplified 还 keeps 辶 and replaces 睘 with 不 as a simpler phonetic. Core meaning: return, still, also.