Translation and Meaning of: 行き - iki

Have you ever wondered how the Japanese express the idea of "going" in everyday situations? The word go 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 Go is essential to construct sentences like "Tokyo" Go"train to Tokyo". Here at Suki Nihongo, you will also find practical examples to include in your Anki and boost your studies!

Etymology and Origin of the Kanji 行き

The kanji Go is one of those characters that carries an impressive visual story. 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 retained this sense of displacement but adapted its reading to breath in the context of the destination.

Curiously, the combination of the radical The Japanese character "彳" remains unchanged in the translation. (step) with 亍 (止まる) no kanji Go create an interesting duality: movement and pause. This explains why the same character can mean both "to go" (to go) how "line" or "business" in other contexts. Those who have seen signs at stations with Going to Osaka (destination Osaka) notice how this ideogram is ubiquitous in Japan.

Practical Use in Japanese Daily Life

In train stations, airports, and even in casual conversations, Go is essential. The Japanese use this word as a suffix to indicate direction, as in Bus to Shinjuku (bus to Shinjuku). Unlike Portuguese, where we say "bus forIn 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 Go with come here (there doesn't even exist!). Remember: if it's about going somewhere, only Go serve. A tip? Associate the sound "iki" with "to go fast" - when you're late, say "iki, iki!" in your mind. It works like a silly but effective mnemonic!

Memory Tips and Curiosities

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

Did you know that train announcements in Japan use Go musically? The sound alerts always end with an ascending tone when saying "...it's going.", as if they were "pushing" passengers into the carriage. Such cultural details show how the Japanese language even transforms 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:

草履を履いて神社に行きました。

Waraji wo haite jinja ni ikimashita

I went to the shrine wearing zori.

I went to the shrine wearing sandals.

• 草履 - traditional Japanese sandals
• を - object particle
• 履いて - continuous form of the verb "履く" (to wear)
• 神社 - Shinto shrine
• に - target particle
• 行きました - The past tense of the verb "行く" (iku) is "行った" (itta).

遊園地に行きたいです。

Yūenchi ni ikitai desu

I want to go to the amusement park.

I want to go to an amusement park.

• 遊園地 (yūenchi) - Amusement park
• 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

遠くへ行きたいです。

Tōku e ikitaidesu

I want to go away.

I want to go far.

• 遠くへ - "far away"
• 行きたい - "I want to go"
• です - "is"

遠方から来た友達に会いに行きたいです。

Toofu kara kita tomodachi ni ai ni ikitai desu

I want to go meet a friend who came from far away.

I want to go see a friend from afar.

• 遠方 (enpou) - distant
• から (kara) - of
• 来た (kita) - came
• 友達 (tomodachi) - friend
• に (ni) - for
• 会いに (aini) - find
• 行きたい (ikitai) - I want to go
• です (desu) - is

釣りに行きたいです。

Tsuri ni ikitai desu

I want to go fishing.

I'd like to go fishing.

• 釣り (tsuri) - fishing
• に (ni) - particle that indicates the target or destination of the action
• 行きたい (ikitai) - want to go
• です (desu) - a polite way of finishing a sentence

芝居を見に行きたいです。

Shibai wo mi ni ikitai desu

I want to go see a play.

I want to go see the play.

• 芝居 (shibai) - It means "play" in Japanese.
• を (wo) - Direct object particle in Japanese
• 見 (mi) - verb "to see" in Japanese
• に (ni) - destination particle in Japanese
• 行きたい (ikitai) - conjugated form of the verb "to go" with the suffix "tai", which means "to want" in Japanese
• です (desu) - The verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate a formal or polite statement.

竿を持って川に行きました。

Sao wo motte kawa ni ikimashita

I went to the river with a fishing rod.

I went to the river with a stick.

• 竿 (さお) - fishing rod
• を - direct object particle
• 持って (もって) - loading
• 川 (かわ) - river
• に - Location particle
• 行きました (いきました) - was

私は内科に行きます。

Watashi wa naika ni ikimasu

I go to the department of internal medicine.

I go to internal medicine.

• 私 - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 内科 - noun that means "medical clinic"
• に - particle that indicates the destination of the action, in this case "to"
• 行きます - verb that means "to go", conjugated in the polite present

私は衣料を買いに行きます。

Watashi wa iryou wo kai ni ikimasu

I will buy clothes.

I will buy clothes.

• 私 (watashi) - signifies "I" in Japanese
• は (wa) - Japanese topic particle
• 衣料 (iryō) - It means "clothes" in Japanese.
• を (wo) - Direct object particle in Japanese
• 買い (kai) - verb form of "to buy" in Japanese
• に (ni) - destination particle in Japanese
• 行きます (ikimasu) - verb form of "to go" in Japanese

文房具を買いに行きます。

Bunbōgu o kai ni ikimasu

I am going to buy office supplies.

I will buy stationery items.

• 文房具 - "文房具" (bunbougu)
• を - Direct Object Particle in Japanese
• 買い - The form of the verb "comprar" in Japanese is 買う (かう, kau).
• に - destination particle in Japanese
• 行きます - The polite form of the verb "to go" in Japanese is 行きます (ikimasu).