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あてど Japanese meaning | Kotomora

あてど

あ

て

ど

Meanings

1

noun

aim; goal; objective

usually written using kana alone

Refers to a target or purpose one has in mind; often used in phrases like あてどなく (aimlessly) or あてどもなく (without a clear goal).

彼かれはあてどもなく街まちを歩あるいた。
He wandered aimlessly through the streets.
あてどのない旅たびに出でる。
Set off on a journey with no particular destination.

Written forms

あてどUsage44%
Usually written in kana; the kanji forms 当て所 and 当てど are rare and may not be recognized by all readers.
当あて所どUsage33%
Rare kanji spelling; the reading あてど is not obvious from the kanji.
当あてどUsage22%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; also rare.

Kanji

当

hit, right, appropriate

所place, extent

Similar words

目もく的てき
目的 is the standard word for 'purpose' or 'objective' and is much more common. あてど is more literary and often used in set phrases like あてどなく.
目もく標ひょう
目標 means 'target' or 'goal' in a concrete or abstract sense, while あてど has a more vague, directionless nuance.

Etymology

Compound of 当て (ate, 'aim, object') and 所 (to, 'place'). The reading ど is a voiced variant of と (所) in compound words.