故～
こ～ · ko～ · JLPT N1 · noun
dead person
🪦 故 = 古 (old) + 攵 (action): a past deed that is over, so it means late or deceased
Pronounced ko, like 古 (old), which forms the top part of 故 and points to the 'past' meaning. 故郷 (furusato) means hometown, literally 'old home'.
故 — 古 (old) + 攵 (action/strike)
故 combines 古 'old' as the phonetic with 攵, a variant of 攴 meaning to strike or act. Originally it referred to a cause or reason behind an action. From this it extended to mean 'former, old, deceased' and 'therefore, hence' as a connector.