拒

Phono-semantic compound:

手 (손 수) — semantic component, indicating action of the hand.

巨 (클 거) — phonetic component, providing the sound jù / geo and suggesting firmness or strength.

Thus 手 + 巨 → 拒 — “to act with the hand firmly,” hence to block, resist, or refuse.

In Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字):

「拒，止也。从手，巨聲。」

“拒 means to stop or block; composed of 手 with phonetic 巨.”

Originally, 拒 denoted a physical obstruction, such as barring a passage or holding back an enemy; later it developed figurative senses — to resist a person or idea, to reject an offer, to refuse compliance.

拒否 (거부) — refusal; rejection

拒絶 (거절) — to reject; to turn down

抵拒 (저거) — to resist; opposition

拒入 (거입) — to refuse entry

拒守 (거수) — to defend; hold off (in warfare)

拒敵 (거적) — to resist the enemy

拒命 (거명) — to disobey an order

Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典, vol. 438):

「拒，拒止也，拒格也。」

“拒 means to block or stop; also to repel or resist.”

Book of Han (漢書 · 韓信傳):

「項王拒漢兵於滎陽。」

“Xiang Yu blocked the Han forces at Xingyang” — 拒 as to resist militarily.

Zuo Commentary (左傳 · 宣公十五年):

「拒諫則危。」

“He who rejects admonition is in peril” — 拒 used figuratively: to refuse counsel.

Mencius (孟子 · 梁惠王下):

「拒人於千里之外。」

“To push a man away a thousand li” — idiomatic for utter rejection or alienation.

From the battlefield to the realm of ethics, 拒 expresses the act of holding firm against what approaches — whether an enemy, an influence, or a temptation.