Meaning
回避 means to deliberately avoid or evade something, often a difficult situation, person, question, or responsibility. It implies a conscious decision to stay away from or not confront something. The word carries a slightly formal or literary tone and is commonly used in both everyday speech and written contexts when discussing avoidance of problems or uncomfortable situations.
Usage
回避 is more formal than 避免 (bìmiǎn) and often implies intentional evasion rather than simple prevention. It frequently appears in contexts involving avoiding sensitive topics, dodging questions, or steering clear of people or situations. Native speakers use it when someone deliberately sidesteps responsibility or refuses to face something directly.
Examples
- 01他总是回避谈论自己的过去。.He always avoids talking about his past.
- 02我们不能回避这个严重的问题。.We cannot evade this serious problem.
Characters
Common collocations
- 回避问题to avoid the question/problem
- 回避责任to evade responsibility
- 回避现实to avoid reality
- 有意回避to deliberately avoid
Antonyms
Origin
The word combines 回 (to turn back/around) with 避 (to avoid), creating the sense of turning away from something to avoid it. This reflects the physical and metaphorical act of turning aside to dodge or evade.