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:

私は銀行に行きます。

Watashi wa ginkou ni ikimasu

I go to the bank.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case "I"
• 銀行 (ginkou) - noun that means "bank"
• に (ni) - particle indicating the target of the action, in this case "to"
• 行きます (ikimasu) - verb meaning "to go"

私は今夜映画を見に行きます。

Watashi wa kon'ya eiga o mi ni ikimasu

I'm going to watch a movie tonight.

I will watch a movie tonight.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• 今夜 (kon'ya) - adverb meaning "tonight"
• 映画 (eiga) - noun meaning "film"
• を (wo) - particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence, in this case, "movie"
• 見に行きます (mi ni ikimasu) - a phrase that means "to go to watch", in this case, "I am going to watch the movie"

私はスクールに行きます。

Watashi wa sukūru ni ikimasu

Eu vou para a escola.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "I"
• スクール (sukuuru) - palavra em katakana que significa "escola"
• に (ni) - partícula que indica o destino ou o local onde algo acontece, neste caso, "para a escola"
• 行きます (ikimasu) - verbo que significa "ir" ou "caminhar", conjugado no presente afirmativo

私たちは海水浴に行きます。

Watashitachi wa kaisuiyoku ni ikimasu

We go to the beach.

We go to the sea bath.

• 私たちは - Personal pronoun "we"
• 海水浴 - sea bath
• に - Particle that indicates destination or location
• 行きます - verb "to go" in the present

絵の具を買いに行きます。

E no gu wo kai ni iki masu

I will buy paint.

I'm going to buy paint.

• 絵の具 (e no gu) - paint for painting
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 買い (kai) - comprando
• に (ni) - target particle
• 行きます (ikimasu) - ir

自転車で学校に行きます。

Watashi wa jitensha de gakkou ni ikimasu

I go to the bicycle school.

• 自転車 (jitensha) - bicicleta
• で (de) - by means of, using
• 学校 (gakkou) - escola
• に (ni) - towards, towards
• 行きます (ikimasu) - ir

行き先はどこですか？

Yukisaki wa doko desu ka?

Qual é o destino?

Onde está o destino?

• 行き先 - significa "destino" em japonês.
• は - is a grammatical particle that marks the topic of the sentence.
• どこ - significa "onde" em japonês.
• です - is a polite way of saying "ser" or "estar" in Japanese.
• か - It is a grammatical particle that indicates a question.

観光地に行きたいです。

Kankōchi ni ikitai desu

I want to go to a tourist spot.

• 観光地 - "tourist spot"
• に - it is a particle that indicates the direction or target of an action.
• 行きたい - it is a conjugated form of the verb "to go" that means "to want to go".
• です - it is a particle of completion that indicates that the sentence is a statement.