KanjiJLPT N1
Abandon

abandon, throw away, discard, resign, reject, sacrifice

Mnemonic

A waste bag hangs from a pitchfork driven deep into a tree trunk—proof someone chose to abandon their filth here. The bag splits open, garbage oozes down the pitchfork, and the tree's bark slowly engulfs everything, a grim monument to abandon.
Additional thoughts
Picture the scene vertically: waste bag on top, pitchfork in the middle, tree at the base—mirroring the kanji's stacked structure. The act of impaling trash into a tree and walking away powerfully captures deliberate, permanent discarding.
Quick recall
A waste bag skewered on a pitchfork stuck into a tree—someone chose to abandon it all.

Details

The keyword for 棄 is abandon. This kanji conveys the meaning of throwing away, discarding, or giving up on something entirely. It implies a deliberate and often permanent act of relinquishing possession, rights, or responsibilities. The sense carried by this character is one of forsaking or renouncing, whether applied to physical objects, plans, or even people.
On'yomi
Kun'yomi
す.てる