着

JLPT N4

Arrive, wear

Readings

On’yomi: チャク, ジャク (chaku, jaku)

Kun’yomi: き(る), つ(く) (ki(ru), tsu(ku))

• きる (kiru) – to wear (clothes on the upper body) • きせる (kiseru) – to dress someone • つく (tsuku) – to arrive, to reach • つける (tsukeru) – to attach, to put on (something)

Structure

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Detailed Explanation

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Mnemonic

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Etymology

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Visual Tip

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Vocabulary

着る

きる

to wear

到着

とうちゃく

arrival

着物

きもの

kimono

上着

うわぎ

jacket

下着

したぎ

underwear

Example Sentences

服を着ます。

ふくをきます。

I wear clothes.

駅に到着します。

えきにとうちゃくします。

I arrive at the station.

Cultural Note

👘 着 (きる / きもの) is deeply woven into Japanese culture — quite literally!
• The verb 着る (kiru) and the noun 着物 (kimono) share the same root.
o Kimono literally means “thing to wear.”
• Wearing clothes in Japan is not just about fashion — it expresses respect, formality, and social awareness.
o For example, formal kimono types (like 留袖 tomesode or 振袖 furisode) reflect age, marital status, and occasion.
• The concept of “arrival” (着く) also ties into Japanese punctuality and politeness — being “arrived” or “settled” carries a sense of completion and readiness.
• In modern usage, 着 also appears in phone and technology contexts:
o 着信 (incoming call), 着メロ (chaku-mero: ringtone) — showing how the idea of “arrival/attachment” extends naturally to digital signals arriving.