‘避讳’ (bì huì) is a traditional Chinese cultural practice of deliberately avoiding the use of certain words—especially personal names of elders, ancestors, or reigning emperors—as a sign of respect and reverence. The character 避 means ‘to avoid’ or ‘to evade’, while 讳 refers specifically to ‘taboo words’, particularly names considered too sacred or sensitive for casual mention. Together, they form a noun describing both the act and the principle of such avoidance.

This custom was especially strict in imperial China: writing or speaking an emperor’s given name could lead to severe punishment, so scribes substituted homophones, omitted strokes, or used alternative characters. Though less rigid today, 避讳 still influences naming practices (e.g., avoiding grandparents’ names for newborns) and appears in historical texts, literature, and discussions of etiquette and Confucian values. It reflects deep-rooted ideas about hierarchy, filial piety, and linguistic reverence.