追いつく

• 読み: おいつく
• ローマ字: oitsuku
• 漢字の分解: 追 (oi/tsui) — chase, pursue
• 発音: /o.i.tsɯ.kɯ/

意味

To catch up; to overtake. Reaching the same level or position as someone ahead.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb from 追い (oi, chasing) + つく (tsuku, to arrive/reach). Conjugates as 追いつか/追いつき/追いつく/追いつけ/追いつこう. Used for physical chasing, academic progress, and figurative competition. Often paired with に to mark the target. The opposite is 追い越す (oikosu, to surpass).

例文

1. 走って先に行った友達に追いついた。
2. 日本語の勉強でクラスメートに追いつきたい。
3. 技術の進歩に追いつくのは大変だ。

使い方ガイド

場面: sports, academics, competition

トーン: neutral

起源と歴史

Compound verb of 追う (ou, to chase/pursue) and つく (tsuku, to arrive/attach). Literally 'chasing until arrival' — reaching someone or something that was ahead.

文化的背景

時代: Classical

世代: All ages

社会的背景: Universal