What is the difference between "着く" and "付く"?

"着く" means "to arrive" (N4), whereas "付く" represents "to be attached, to stick, to be stained, to be turned on" (N4).

Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "つく (tsuku)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

つく (tsuku)

N4 / CEFR

Kanji Option B

つく (tsuku)

N4 / CEFR

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "つく (tsuku)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.

着く (Level: N4): Translates to "to arrive" and is used when An intransitive verb meaning to arrive at a destination. Often used with the particle に.
付く (Level: N4): Maps to "to be attached, to stick, to be stained, to be turned on" and carries the nuance of This is an intransitive verb with multiple meanings. Common N4 uses include 'to stick/be attached'.

Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!

Bilingual Context for "着く"

飛行機は午後3時に空港に着きます。

The plane will arrive at the airport at 3 PM.

Bilingual Context for "付く"

壁にきれいな絵が付いています。

A beautiful picture is attached to the wall.

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "飛行機は午後3時に空港に着きます。" (Meaning: "The plane will arrive at the airport at 3 PM.")

🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "着く" is used for "to arrive" in the context: "The plane will arrive at the airport at 3 PM.".