Suffix used in addresses after the name of a company, organization, or department to direct mail to a specific person or section.
株式会社田中商店 気付 山田太郎様
Tanaka Shoten Co., Ltd., c/o Taro Yamada
c/o Tokyo Shoji, Attn: Taro Yamada
Please write 'c/o XX' on the delivery address.
気付 (きづけ) is the mailing-address suffix meaning 'c/o', while 気付く (きづく) is the verb meaning 'to notice' — same kanji, different reading and meaning.
気付 and 気付け look almost identical and both mean 'care of' in addresses, but they are read differently (きづけ vs きつけ), causing learners to mix up which form to use.
気づき means an awareness or realization, whereas 気付け refers to reviving someone (e.g. with smelling salts) and is a completely different word despite the similar sound.
Standard kanji spelling for the suffix meaning 'care of'.
Rarely used kanji form; 附 is an older variant of 付.
Alternate spelling with okurigana け; less common than 気付.
An abbreviated spelling of 気付け, indicating that correspondence is sent under an intermediary’s care for delivery to the named recipient.