Translation and Meaning of: 行き - iki

Have you ever wondered how the Japanese express the idea of "going" in everyday situations? The word 行き [いき] is one of the most common ways to indicate movement, but it goes far beyond its literal meaning. In this article, you will discover the fascinating etymology behind this term, how it is used in the Japanese language, and even tips to memorize its kanji. If you are studying Japanese, understanding 行き is essential for constructing sentences like "Tóquio 行きの電車" (train bound for Tokyo). Here at Suki Nihongo, you will also find practical examples to include in your Anki and supercharge your studies!

Etymology and Origin of the Kanji 行き

The kanji 行 is one of those characters that carries an impressive visual history. Originally, it represented an intersection of streets, symbolizing movement and direction. In ancient China, this pictogram evolved to include the idea of "walking" or "following a path". When the Japanese adopted the kanji, they maintained this sense of displacement but adapted its reading to いき in the context of destination.

Curiously, the combination of the radical 彳 (step) with 亍 (stop) in the kanji 行 creates an interesting duality: movement and pause. This explains why the same character can mean both "to go" (行く) and "line" or "business" in other contexts. Anyone who has seen station signs with 大阪行き (destination Osaka) realizes how this ideogram is ubiquitous in Japan.

Practical Use in Japanese Daily Life

In train stations, airports, and even in casual conversations, 行き is indispensable. The Japanese use this word as a suffix to indicate direction, as in 新宿行きのバス (bus to Shinjuku). Unlike Portuguese, where we say "bus to", in Japanese the destination is attached to the noun. This structure can be confusing at first, but with practice it becomes natural.

A common mistake among students is to confuse 行き with 来き (which doesn't even exist!). Remember: if it's about going somewhere, only 行き works. A tip? Associate the sound "iki" with "go fast" - when you're running late, think "iki, iki!" in your mind. It works as a silly but effective mnemonic!

Memory Tips and Curiosities

To never forget the kanji 行, imagine a person walking between two buildings (the vertical lines) on the sidewalk (the horizontal line). This mental image helps to fix both the writing and the meaning. Another trick is to remember that it appears in words like 行動 (action/behavior) and 銀行 (bank) - places where people are always on the move.

Did you know that train announcements in Japan use 行き in a musical way? The sound notifications always end with an ascending tone when saying "…行きです", as if they are "pushing" passengers into the carriage. Cultural details like this show how the Japanese language turns even grammar into a sensory experience.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 行く (iku) - Please provide the text you would like to have translated.
• 出かける (dekakeru) - Leave, leave home for a specific place
• 進む (susumu) - move forward, proceed
• 移動する (idou suru) - Move, shift
• 赴く (otozureru) - Go to a place, especially for a specific task or visit.
• 旅立つ (tabidatsu) - Leave for a trip

行き

Romaji: iki
Kana: いき
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: indo

Meaning in English: going

Definition: To change/visit.

Example Sentences - (行き) iki

See below some example sentences:

カセットを買いに行きます。

Kasetto wo kai ni ikimasu

I'm going to buy a cassette tape.

I'm going to buy a tape.

• カセット (kasetto) - Cassette
• を (wo) - Direct object particle
• 買い (kai) - Purchase
• に (ni) - Destination particle
• 行きます (ikimasu) - Please provide the text you would like to have translated.

この列車は直通で東京まで行きます。

Kono ressha wa chokutsū de Tōkyō made ikimasu

This train goes directly to Tokyo.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 列車 - noun meaning "train"
• は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 直通 - adjective meaning "direct"
• で - grammatical particle that indicates the means or instrument used
• 東京 - noun meaning "Tokyo"
• まで - grammatical particle that indicates the limit or scope of an action
• 行きます - verb meaning "to go"

ショーを見に行きたいです。

Shō wo mi ni ikitai desu

I want to go see the show.

• ショー (shō) - show
• を (wo) - particle indicando o objeto direto de uma frase
• 見 (mi) - to see
• に (ni) - partícula indicando o propósito ou destino de uma ação
• 行きたい (ikitai) - want to go
• です (desu) - The polite copula indicating the end of a sentence in Japanese is "です" (desu).

タクシーで空港に行きます。

Takushii de kuukou ni ikimasu

I go to the airport by taxi.

Go to the airport by taxi.

• タクシー (takushii) - Táxi
• で (de) - by means of, using
• 空港 (kuukou) - airport
• に (ni) - towards, towards
• 行きます (ikimasu) - Go

デートに行きたいです。

Dēto ni ikitai desu

I want to go to a date.

I want to go to a date.

• デート - romantic date
• に - particle that indicates destination or direction
• 行きたい - want to go
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form

デパートに行きたいです。

Depāto ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the mall.

I want to go to a department store.

• デパート (Depāto) - department store
• に (ni) - Particle that indicates destination or location
• 行きたい (ikitai) - want to go
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

トイレに行きたいです。

Toire ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the bathroom.

• トイレ (toire) - Restroom
• に (ni) - particle indicating location
• 行きたい (ikitai) - want to go
• です (desu) - Sentence-ending particle

ドライブに行きましょう。

Doraibu ni ikimashou

Let's go for a drive.

Let's go to the unit.

• ドライブ - Japanese word meaning "car ride"
• に - Japanese particle indicating the target or destination of an action
• 行きましょう - Japanese expression meaning "let's go"

ドライブに行きたいです。

Doraibu ni ikitai desu

I want to go for a car ride.

I want to go to the unit.

• ドライブ (doraibu) - means "car ride" in Japanese
• に (ni) - a particle that indicates the destination or place where something happens
• 行きたい (ikitai) - a conjugated form of the verb "ir" meaning "to want to go"
• です (desu) - a particle that indicates the polite or formal way of speaking

バンドのライブに行きたいです。

Band no raibu ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the band live.

• バンド (band) - name of a musical band
• の (no) - particle that indicates possession or relationship between two things
• ライブ (raibu) - Live show
• に (ni) - Particle that indicates destination or location
• 行きたい (ikitai) - "Want to go"
• です (desu) - particle that indicates politeness or formality