Examining the Kanji and verb – 行 – Go / Travel

Today we will examine in detail the Kanji 行. This is the 20th most used kanji. Learning it opens doors to various conversations and phrases.

Reading and Writing – 行

• On: コウ / ギョウ / アン
• Kun: い.く / ゆ.く / –ゆ.き / –ゆき / –い.き / –いき / おこな.う/ おこ.なう
• Meanings: Go, travel, traveling, conduct, enjoy (That’s right…)
• See the Stroke Orders below:

Vocabulary

Kun Reading Compounds

• 行 く- (iku) – Go, Move towards a place. (Let’s go, I will, We will)
• 行 う – (okonau) – Execute, carry out, do or conduct some action;
• 行方 – (yukue) – whereabouts
• 行き方 – (yukigata) – way, process
• 奥行き– (okuyuki) – depth
• 行った – (itta) – went

On Reading Compounds

• 行 – (gyou) – line; verse [of poetry]
• 行 – (gyou) – spiritual exercise, rigorous practices
• 行 – (kou) – crossing / guild
• 行動 – (koudou) – behavior, conduct, action
• 淫行 – (inkou) – prostitution
• 印行 – (inkou) – publish, editorial,
• 銀行 – (ginkou) – bank
• 宇宙旅行 – (uchuuryokou) – space travel
• 血行 – (kekkou) – blood circulation
• 下行 – (kakou) descending
• ..;

Conjugating the verb 行 – Go

Go	Ik – 行
Te form	itte 行って
Infinitive	iki 行き
Type	Form	Positive	Negative
Present Indicative Common and objective statements	Simple	iku 行く	ikanai 行かない
Polite	ikimasu 行きます	ikimasen 行きません
Presumptive Probability, belief or intention Expresses Intention	Simple	ikō 行こう iku darō 行く だろう	ikanai darō 行かないだろう
Polite	ikimashō 行きましょう iku deshō 行くでしょう	ikanai deshō 行かないでしょう
Imperative To give commands, orders.	Simple	ike 行け	iku na 行くな
Polite	itte kudasai 行ってください	ikanai de kudasai 行かないでください
Past Indicative Completed actions in the past or a perfect past	Simple	itta 行った	ikanakatta 行かなかった
Polite	ikimashita 行きました	ikimasen deshita 行きませんでした
Past Presumptive Probability or belief regarding the past.	Simple	ittarō itta darō 行っただろう	ikanakatta darō 行かなかっただろう
Polite	itta deshō 行ったでしょう	ikanakatta deshō 行かなかったでしょう
Present Progressive Ongoing actions, continuous, state of being.	Simple	itte iru 行って いる
Polite	itte imasu 行って います	itte imasen 行って いません
Past Progressive Continuous past action, or state of being.	Simple	itte ita 行って いた
Polite	itte imashita 行って いました	itte imasen deshita 行って いませんでした
Conditional provisional – eba Equivalent to “if” (if it’s cheap, I buy)	Simple	ikeba 行けば	ikanakereba 行かなければ
Polite	ikimaseba 行きませば ikimasureba 行きますれば	ikimasen nara 行きませんなら
Conditional (Form -tara) Condition and event, past hypothesis. “if”	Simple	ittara 行ったら	ikanakattara 行かなかったら
Polite	ikimashitara 行きましたら	ikimasen deshitara 行きませんでしたら
Potential Expresses the idea of ability	Simple	ikeru 行ける	ikenai 行けない
Polite	ikemasu 行けます	ikemasen 行けません
Causative Someone made me do something. Idea of making or can mean “let” or “allow”	Simple	ikaseru 行かせる	ikasenai 行かせない
Polite	ikasemasu 行かせます	ikasemasen 行かせません
Passive It is used when something is done to someone	Simple	ikareru 行かれる	ikarenai 行かれない
Polite	ikaremasu 行かれます	ikaremasen 行かれません

Examples of sentences

Where are you going?
doko ni iku no desuka
Where are we going?

If you are in a hurry, go by bus
Isogu nara, basu de ikinasai
If you are in a hurry, go by bus

When the weather is nice, we will go to the park
Tenki ga ī to, kōen ni ikimasu
When the weather is good, we will go to the park

I will go to Ginza to shop.
Ginza e itte kaimono o shimasu
I will go to Ginza to shop.

I called instead of going
iku kawari ni denwa o shimashita
I called instead of going

Last week I went to see his older sister.
Senshū watashi wa kare no ane ni ai ni ikimashita.
I went to see his older sister last week.

The police took swift action to deal with the riot.
Keisatsu wa bōdō ni taisho suru tame jinsokuna kōdō o totta.
The police took immediate measures to deal with the riot. (kodo = Action)

George calculated the cost of the trip.
Jōji wa ryokō no hiyō o keisan shita.
George calculated the cost of the trip.

I prefer to stay home than go shopping.
Kaimononiiku yori mo, mushiro ie ni itai.
I prefer to stay home than go shopping.

The meeting was held last week.
Sono kaigō wa senshū okonawa reta.
The meeting was held last week.

She said she is eager to go there.
Kanojo wa zehi soko e ikitai to itta.
She said she is eager to go there.

The doctor is seeing that patient now.
Sensei wa ima, sono kanja-san no kenshin o okonawa rete imasu.
Professor, The doctor is seeing that patient.

The children chased the circus parade.
Kodomo-tachi ga sākasu no gyōretsu o oikaketa.
The children chased the circus parade.

I decided to go.
Watashi wa iku koto ni shita.
I decided to go.

I had to go to the dentist
Haisha ni itte kita nda.
I had to go to the dentist

He often used to go to that hill.
Kare wa yoku sono oka e itta monoda.
He used to go to that hill often.

I am dying to go to another foreign country.
Watashi wa gaikoku e ikitakute tamaranai.
I am dying to go to another foreign country.

I regret going there.
Watashi wa soko e itta koto o kōkai shite iru.
I regret going there.

I went to maintain appearances.
Taimen o tamotsu tame ni itta.
I went to maintain appearances.

I went to the station.
Watashi wa eki ni itta.
I went to the station.

This was a brief explanation and examples of the kanji 行. If you have any questions, suggestions, or if you found something wrong, please comment.