退

Phono-semantic compound:

辵 (착, “to walk, movement”) — semantic, indicating movement or going.

艮 (간, “to stop, to oppose”) — phonetic, giving the sound 퇴 and nuance of halting.

Graphically, the character shows the idea of moving but then stopping/turning back, hence “to retreat.”

퇴직 (退職) — retirement, resignation

퇴학 (退學) — expulsion, withdrawal from school

퇴보 (退步) — regression, falling behind

퇴각 (退却) — military retreat

퇴임 (退任) — stepping down from office

Historical and cultural usage:

In classical military texts, such as Sunzi Bingfa (孫子兵法, The Art of War), 退 frequently appears alongside 進 (advance) as a contrasting pair:

進退有度 — “to advance and retreat with proper measure.”

The phrase 進退維谷 (“hemmed in, unable to advance or retreat”) is a famous idiom from Zuo Zhuan (左傳), used to describe being trapped in a difficult position.

In Confucian writings, 退 often expresses moral restraint:

進退中庸 — advancing and retreating according to the Mean, i.e., knowing when to step forward or step back in conduct.

In East Asian history, military records often used 退却 (퇴각/たいきゃく) to describe an organized retreat, distinguishing it from a rout or collapse.