The kanji 却 generally conveys the meanings of "to reject," "to repel," "to turn down," or "to withdraw." It often implies a forceful or decisive action of removing something or someone.

・On-yomi (音読み): キャク (kyaku) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): None

⚫︎ 却下（きゃっか） Translation: Rejection; dismissal; disapproval. ⚫︎ 却って（かえって） Translation: On the contrary; rather; instead. This expression signifies a surprising or unexpected result. ⚫︎ 拒却（きょきゃく） Translation: Rejection; refusal.

The kanji 却 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is a component suggesting movement or the concept of turning, while the right side 卩 (also read as セツ, setsu) originally depicted a kneeling person, which also implies that it related to rejection or surrender. The combination of these parts forms the meaning of "to reject," "to push back," or "to turn away." The character evolved over time, becoming more stylized.