到着する
tōchaku-suru
To arrive in Japanese is 到着する (tōchaku-suru). Wiktionary also lists 着く (tsuku).
Meaning: to get to a certain place (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 到着する | tōchaku-suru | |
| 着く | tsuku | [t͡sɨkɯ̟] (narrow) |
Which one should you use?
着く is the more common, everyday way to say 'arrive' in conversation, whereas 到着する is more formal and is often used in announcements, business contexts or official reports.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense of 着く is 着いた. The particle に is used with 着く to indicate the destination or place of arrival (〜に着く).
How do you pronounce it?
tōchaku-suru
Did you know?
- While 着く means 'arrive', it is also the same word for 'to attach' or 'to stick'. This connection comes from the idea of arriving at a point and then adhering to it.
- When someone arrives at a home, they are often greeted with おかえり, which means 'welcome back' regardless of whether they were gone for an hour or a decade.
- The word 着く shares its kanji with the verb 'to wear' (着る), which is used for clothing that covers the torso.
Examples in context
- 彼は明日着く予定だ。He is due to arrive tomorrow.This sentence uses 着く to discuss a scheduled arrival.Tatoeba #99581 by bunbuku, translation #304115 by CK
- 明日は何時に着くの？What time do you arrive tomorrow?This sentence uses 着く to ask about an arrival time.Tatoeba #3033135 by tommy_san, translation #3040113 by AnneWy
- 車なら3時間で着くよ。We'll arrive in three hours if we drive.This sentence uses 着く to describe an arrival via a specific mode of transport.Tatoeba #2976543 by tommy_san, translation #2270057 by _undertoad
- 私は東京に到着しました。I have arrived in Tokyo.
- ようやく着いたよ！Finally arrived!
- 今、家に着いたよ！I just arrived home!
- 49 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are coordinating their meeting at the station.
- 結衣 Yui今どこにいるの？Ima doko ni iru no?Where are you right now?
- 健太 Kentaもうすぐ駅に到着するよ。Mousugu eki ni touchaku suru yo.I will arrive at the station soon.
- 結衣 Yuiわかった。改札で待ってるね。Wakatta. Kaisatsu de matteru ne.Got it. I'll wait at the ticket gate.
- 健太 Kentaうん、また後で！Un, mata ato de!Yeah, see you in a bit!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arrive” translations and entries 着く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
