<p>As Claw says, 去 <em>is</em> the historical character for it. This could come from 文白异读, that is, literary/colloquial readings. That would make sense, because colloquial readings are often either more innovative, or are a throwback.</p>

<p>Another option would be borrowing it from another variety, e.g. Cantonese <em>keoi</em>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-23T07:48:46.250Z
The Cantonese pronunciation is actually *heoi*, not *keoi*. A lot of words that historically had the `/kʰ/` initial ended up having an `/h/`initial in Cantonese.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-23T07:50:25.000Z
@Claw Just curious: was there a pattern to which remained `kʰ` and which became `h`?
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-23T07:58:07.557Z
@StumpyJoePete I mentioned other examples in my answer here: http://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/10764/166 However, I hadn't looked further into the pattern of which ones remained `/kʰ/`. At a cursory glance it seems like most of them became `/h/` (or eventually `/f/` in the case of `/kʰu/`), though there are a few that didn't. Many words that have the `/kʰ/` initial in Cantonese currently actually evolved from other initials, such as `/g/`.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-23T07:14:13.797Z
2015-07-24T16:42:10.793Z
2015-07-24T16:42:10.793Z
user11398
<p><a href="http://tieba.baidu.com/p/1976840339" rel="nofollow">怎么在四川说话居然还会听不懂了</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>宜宾话和很多四川其他地方的话有代沟的，比如去字，宜宾读kei成都以南大多读ji以北读qi网上读qie</p>
</blockquote>

<p><br></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>广安人表示也都kei</p>
</blockquote>

<p><br></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>呵呵，就是，克耍。有些字眼他们真的不懂了</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="http://www.mala.cn/thread-37062-1-1.html" rel="nofollow">宜宾方言</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>出克：外出</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><strong>克</strong> seems to be the substitute character for <code>kei</code> but is there a REAL character for this word? </li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-20T06:34:14.367Z
Can you clarify what you mean by "REAL" character? Do you mean the etymologically correct character for the `kei` pronunciation? While I don't know Sichuanese, I wouldn't be surprised if 去 was the etymologically correct character for this pronunciation, especially since 去 historically was pronounced with a `/kʰ/` initial.
Claw
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-07-20T12:41:38.173Z
@Claw 克 is obviously just a "stand-in" character, so yes my question is what is the etymologically correct character.
Mou某
<characters><topolect>
Character: “Kei” For “To Go” (去) In Sichuanese
# Character: “Kei” For “To Go” (去) In Sichuanese

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-20)

[怎么在四川说话居然还会听不懂了](http://tieba.baidu.com/p/1976840339)

> 宜宾话和很多四川其他地方的话有代沟的，比如去字，宜宾读kei成都以南大多读ji以北读qi网上读qie

> 广安人表示也都kei

> 呵呵，就是，克耍。有些字眼他们真的不懂了

[宜宾方言](http://www.mala.cn/thread-37062-1-1.html)

> 出克：外出

* **克** seems to be the substitute character for `kei` but is there a REAL character for this word?

**Tags:** characters, topolect

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you clarify what you mean by "REAL" character? Do you mean the etymologically correct character for the `kei` pronunciation? While I don't know Sichuanese, I wouldn't be surprised if 去 was the etymologically correct character for this pronunciation, especially since 去 historically was pronounced with a `/kʰ/` initial.  
> **username_0**: @username_1 克 is obviously just a "stand-in" character, so yes my question is what is the etymologically correct character.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-07-23. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

As username_1 says, 去 *is* the historical character for it. This could come from 文白异读, that is, literary/colloquial readings. That would make sense, because colloquial readings are often either more innovative, or are a throwback.

Another option would be borrowing it from another variety, e.g. Cantonese *keoi*.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The Cantonese pronunciation is actually *heoi*, not *keoi*. A lot of words that historically had the `/kʰ/` initial ended up having an `/h/`initial in Cantonese.  
> **username_3**: @username_1 Just curious: was there a pattern to which remained `kʰ` and which became `h`?  
> **username_1**: @StumpyJoePete I mentioned other examples in my answer here: http://chinese.stackexchange.com/a/10764/166 However, I hadn't looked further into the pattern of which ones remained `/kʰ/`. At a cursory glance it seems like most of them became `/h/` (or eventually `/f/` in the case of `/kʰu/`), though there are a few that didn't. Many words that have the `/kʰ/` initial in Cantonese currently actually evolved from other initials, such as `/g/`.  

---

