行き

• Reading: いき
• Romaji: iki
• Kanji breakdown: 行 (kou/i) — go, travel, carry out
• Pronunciation: /i.ki/

Meaning

Going; bound for; outward journey. The act or direction of travel to a destination.

A noun derived from the verb 行く (to go). Most commonly seen on transportation signs and tickets indicating a destination, as in 東京行き (bound for Tokyo). Also used to distinguish the outward trip (行き) from the return trip (帰り). Can be read as いき or ゆき depending on context, though いき is more common in compounds.

Examples

1. 大阪行きの新幹線は何番ホームですか。 Which platform is the bullet train bound for Osaka on?
2. 行きは電車で、帰りはバスにした。 I took the train there and the bus back.
3. 空港行きのバスは一時間に一本だ。 The bus to the airport runs once an hour.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, travel, directions

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Derived from the verb 行く (to go). The kanji 行 depicts a crossroads, representing the act of moving forward along a path.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal