去 means “leave, past”

さる · saru

Also: gone, quit

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

さる

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

キョ, コ

JLPT N4 · Taught in grade 3 · 5 strokes

The story

A figure walking away from a vessel left behind: departure drawn as what remains. Japanese keeps it for time itself: 去年, the year that walked away.

Used in 去年 (kyonen, last year), 去る (saru, to leave), and 過去 (kako, the past)

More from Motion & Change

• 注 pour
• 自 oneself
• 回 times
• 動 move
• 集 gather
• 別 separate
• 引 pull
• 使 use
• 始 begin
• 終 end
• 止 stop
• 転 revolve

Learn 去 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.