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辿り着く (たどりつく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
godan verb (-ku), intransitive verb
finally arrive at ; reach at last ; manage to get to
Emphasizes the effort or difficulty of the journey; implies that reaching the destination was not easy or took a long time. Often used for physical locations, but can also be used figuratively for conclusions or realizations.
さん
を
間ま
違ちが
え
た
が
、
やっと
正ただ
しい
答こた
え
に
辿たど
り
着つ
い
た
。
I made calculation errors many times, but I finally arrived at the correct answer.
Written forms 辿たど り 着つ く Usage 19%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
たどり 着つ く Usage 46%
Common variant with the first part in kana; often used when the kanji 辿 is considered difficult or less familiar.
たどりつく Usage 29%
辿たど りつく Usage 7%
search-only kanji form
Search-only form; not a standard spelling but may appear in informal writing or as a typing variant.
Similar words 着つ く 着く simply means 'to arrive' without the nuance of difficulty or a long journey. 辿り着く emphasizes the process and effort involved in reaching the destination.
到とう 着ちゃく する 到着する is a more formal, neutral term for arrival, often used in announcements or schedules. 辿り着く is more colloquial and emotionally charged, highlighting the struggle.
Etymology Compound of 辿る (tadoru, 'to follow, to trace') + 着く (tsuku, 'to arrive'). The verb 辿る implies following a path or clues, often with difficulty, which contributes to the nuance of a hard-won arrival.
