引っ越す

• Reading: ひっこす
• Romaji: hikkosu
• Kanji breakdown: 引 (in/hi) — to pull, to draw; 越 (etsu/ko) — to cross over, to surpass
• Pronunciation: /hi.k.ko.sɯ/

Meaning

To move (house); to change residence; to relocate.

A Group 1 (godan) compound verb combining 引く (to pull) and 越す (to cross over). Conjugated with the す ending (引っ越して, 引っ越した, 引っ越します). The related noun 引っ越し means 'moving' and is extremely common. Often followed by a location with に or へ.

Examples

1. 来月新しいアパートに引っ越します。 I'm moving to a new apartment next month.
2. 去年東京から大阪に引っ越しました。 Last year I moved from Tokyo to Osaka.
3. 引っ越しの準備で忙しいです。 I'm busy preparing for the move.

Usage Guide

Context: housing, life events, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A compound of 引く (to pull) and 越す (to cross over/move beyond). The image is of pulling one's belongings across to a new location. The small っ indicates the phonetic doubling typical of compound verbs.

Cultural Context

Era: Medieval

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal