避ける
さける · sakeru · JLPT N3 · verb-ichidan
to avoid
🛡️ sakeru sounds like sake + ru: you avoid the sake to stay sober
避 contains 辶, the walking radical, so it means stepping out of the way. The same kanji is in 避難 (hinan, evacuation). Written the same way, 避ける can also be read よける (yokeru), which means to dodge something physically.
避 — 辟 (phonetic) + 辶 (walk radical)
避 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The walking radical 辶 gives the meaning 'go, move,' while 辟 (bì/pì) supplies the sound. Together they convey moving away from something — hence 'avoid, evade, shun.'
よける · yokeru · JLPT N1 · verb-ichidan
to avoid
辶 (walk radical) + 辟: 避 = walk away from; 避ける = step aside to avoid contact
The 辶 radical means walking or moving, so 避 carries the idea of stepping out of the way. よける is the everyday verb for moving aside to dodge something physical.
避 — 辟 (phonetic) + 辶 (walk radical)
避 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The walking radical 辶 gives the meaning 'go, move,' while 辟 (bì/pì) supplies the sound. Together they convey moving away from something — hence 'avoid, evade, shun.'