阻 means “obstruct, block”

はばむ · habamu

Also: thwart, separate from, prevent

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

はばむ

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ソ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 8 strokes

The story

A hill (阝) heaped high (且) across the road: a barrier in your path. 阻む is to stand in the way, as when a rival 連覇を阻む, ends a winning streak, 阻止 is stopping something cold, and 阻害 is getting in the way.

Used in 阻む (habamu, to block/stand in the way), 阻止 (soshi, prevention/blocking), and 阻害 (sogai, hindrance)

More from Block & Refuse

• 妨 hinder
• 遮 block
• 罷 dismiss
• 斥 repel
• 塞 block
• 抗 oppose
• 廃 abolish
• 障 obstacle
• 避 avoid
• 撤 withdraw
• 抑 suppress
• 拒 refuse

Learn 阻 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.