届く

Japanese JLPT N5 Vocabulary Japanese ★★★★ 4/5 neutral とどくtodoku
Reading とどく
Romaji todoku
Kanji breakdown 届 (kai/todo) — to reach, to deliver, to notify
Pronunciation /to.do.kɯ/

Meaning

To reach; to arrive; to be delivered. Used when something successfully gets to its destination.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. Paired with the transitive 届ける (to deliver). 届く describes the result of something arriving — a package reaching you, a voice carrying across a room, or a hand reaching a high shelf. Common in everyday life and shopping contexts.

Examples

  1. 荷物が昨日届きました。 The package arrived yesterday.
  2. 棚の上に手が届かない。 I can't reach the top of the shelf.
  3. メールはもう届きましたか。 Has the email arrived yet?

Usage Guide

Context: mail, shopping, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 届 depicts reaching or extending to a destination. Historically used in official documents (届け出 — notification/report), the everyday meaning of arrival developed naturally.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

ある To be; to exist; to have. The fundamental verb for expressing the existence of inanimate objects and abstract things. くれる To give (to me/us); to do something for me/us. Used when someone gives something to the speaker. する To do; to carry out; to perform. The single most versatile verb in Japanese, used to form countless compound verbs. なる To become; to get; to grow; to turn into. Expresses change of state — one of the most frequently used verbs in Japanese. もらう To receive; to get; to accept. Used when you receive something from someone. 上がる To rise; to go up; to ascend. Describes upward movement of things, prices, temperature, or entering a home. 上げる To raise; to elevate; to give (to someone of equal or lower status). 乗る To get on; to ride; to board. Used for all types of transportation — trains, buses, planes, bicycles.
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