iku

Iku (行く, いく) is a core Japanese verb meaning “to go” or “to move toward a destination.” It covers literal movement, directions, and general progression from the speaker’s point of view. The canonical kanji form is 行く, though the kana form いく is common in speech. It belongs to the godan (five-grade) verb class, and its inflection follows standard godan patterns, yielding forms such as ikimasu (polite), itta (past), itte (te-form), ikanai (negative), and ikeru (potential).

In grammar, iku also functions as an auxiliary verb when attached to the te-form to indicate progression into the future or a change of state. For example, tabeteiku (食べていく) means “to continue eating” or “to eat and proceed,” and yometeiku (読んでいく) can mean “to continue reading.” The construction te-iku can express gradual change or ongoing action, as in toki wa sugiteiku (時は過ぎていく), “time goes by.” The phrase itte kurou? Actually itte kuru (行ってくる) is used to mean “go and come back,” often stated before leaving. In literature and formal usage, 逝く can be used to mean “to die” or “to pass away.”

Other notes: iku has various conjugations, including ikeru (potential), ikeba (conditional), and ikou (volitional). Some dialects or situational phrases may use alternative forms such as yuku for certain compounds. As a common verb essential to everyday speech, iku appears in countless idioms and constructions across Japanese.