Meaning and Usage
The verb 着く (つく) primarily means "to arrive" or "to reach" a destination. It is commonly used in everyday conversation when talking about arriving at places such as stations, homes, or appointments.
Common Contexts
着く is often used with locations marked by に, indicating the place where someone or something arrives. For example, 駅に着く (arrive at the station) or 家に着く (arrive home).
Collocations and Patterns
- 駅に着く: to arrive at the station
- 家に着く: to arrive home
- 時間に着く: to arrive on time
- 約束の場所に着く: to arrive at the promised place
These phrases are very common in daily conversation and useful for travel, meeting friends, or scheduling.
Register and Politeness
着く is a neutral verb and can be used in both casual and polite speech. For polite contexts, it is often combined with polite forms like 着きます.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 着く (to arrive) with 付く (also read つく), which means "to attach" or "to stick." Pay attention to the kanji and context to avoid confusion.