回去
huíqù · HSK 1
go back
🏠↩️ 回 = return + 去 = go; literally 'return-go' = head back
回 depicts nested squares, an old graph for circling/returning. 去 means 'go (away)'. Together: return-go, i.e. go back. Pair with 回来 (huílái, return-come = come back) to contrast direction away vs. toward speaker.
回 — enclosure 囗 + smaller 囗 inside
回 is a pictograph of a swirling whirlpool or coiled spiral, shown as nested squares in modern form. The original meaning was 'to revolve' or 'turn around,' which extended to 'return' and 'a time/occurrence.' It also appears as a phonetic in characters like 茴 and 廻.
去 — 土 earth on top + 厶 (originally 凵, a vessel/container) below
Originally a pictograph showing a person (大) departing from an enclosed area or vessel, suggesting leaving or going away. Over time the top simplified to 土 and the bottom to 厶. The core meaning 'to go, to leave, to depart' has remained stable since ancient Chinese.