退
タイ, しりぞ.く, しりぞ.ける, ひ.く, の.く, の.ける, ど.く

retreat, withdraw, retire, resign, repel, expel, reject

JLPT3 G5 S9 F424

The relevant seal inscription form is 日 sun/day + an element# combining 辵 movement and 夂 leg/foot pointing downward (→ drop) → sun dropping to the western horizon → *retreat*; *withdraw* → *keep at a distance*; *shrink* (from) → *resign*; *decline*; *refuse*; *reject*; *refrain*; *drive off/out* (← keep at a distance). Later, the 日 and 夂 elements were altered to 艮 (adhere), though the bottom-right portion now exhibits a slight distinction.

[Full Kanji Etymology List]