去

Movement away from a center or point of origin. This manifests in two primary modes:

1. Intransitive (Departure): To go, leave, or depart; the polar opposite of 来 (to come). Focuses on the creation of distance between the subject and the starting point.

2. Transitive (Removal): To remove, discard, eliminate, excise, or cast off; an act of subtraction (e.g., removing a blemish or eliminating a rival).

3. Temporal: Used to mark elapsed time or the past, indicating years or eras that have "gone" away from the present moment.

• Main Verb: Functions as either Departure (intransitive) or Removal (transitive).
• Directional Complement: Indicates that the action of the preceding verb is moving away from the speaker or subject.

• 去 vs. 离 (lí): While both involve leaving, 去 emphasizes the vector of movement away from the source, whereas 离 emphasizes the breach of connection or the state of separation.
• Philosophical Nuance: In meditative or philosophical contexts, the "removal" and "departure" senses often overlap to denote spiritual detachment—the act of "leaving" the world is framed as simultaneously "discarding" worldly attachments.