却 means “send back, reject, withdraw”

きゃく · kyaku

Also: instead, on the contrary, rather, step back

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading): かえって, しりぞく, しりぞける
On'yomi (Chinese reading): キャク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 7 strokes

The story

A kneeling figure (卩) backing away (去): retreating. 却 sends things back or away: 返却 is returning a library book, 却下 is a court throwing out a claim, 売却 is selling off, and 冷却 is cooling down.

Used in 返却 (henkyaku, return), 却下 (kyakka, rejection/dismissal), and 売却 (baikyaku, sale/selling off)

却 means “send back, reject, withdraw”

The story

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