避

Phono-semantic compound composed of:

辵 (chuò) — “to walk, to move,” denoting motion or movement.

辟 (bì / pi / pyeok) — “to repel, to ward off,” providing pronunciation and the notion of keeping away.

Thus, the character literally depicts “to move away to avoid something.”

回避 (회피) — avoidance, evasion

逃避 (도피) — escape, flight, evasion

避難 (피난) — refuge, evacuation

避暑 (피서) — to escape the heat (summer retreat)

避寒 (피한) — to escape the cold (wintering)

避開 (피개) — to steer clear of, to evade

避忌 (피기) — to avoid out of taboo or respect

避讓 (피양) — to yield, to give way

In classical Chinese 避 appears frequently in moral or ceremonial contexts — e.g.,

「君子避色如避禍」 (“A gentleman avoids lust as he avoids disaster.”)

It connotes ethical restraint rather than mere flight.