Japanese word

追いつく

Pronunciation

Romajioitsuku

Meaning

  • verbcatch up with

Example

急いで先に行った友達に追いつきます。iso i de saki ni i tta tomo dachi ni o i tsu ki ma su

I will catch up with my friend who went ahead.

Illustration for 追いつく (catch up with)

More examples

レースの途中で、遅れていた選手が先頭集団に追いつきました。rē su no to chū de oku re te i ta sen shu ga sen tō shū dan ni o i tsu ki ma shi ta

During the race, the runner who had fallen behind caught up with the leading group.

Core concept

Expresses closing the gap with a person, object, or level that is ahead.

Common phrases

  • 前の人に追いつくmae no hito ni o i tsu ku

    catch up with the person ahead

  • 先頭集団に追いつくsen tō shū dan ni o i tsu ku

    catch up with the leading group

  • 流行に追いつくryū kō ni o i tsu ku

    keep up with trends

Definition in Japanese

先に進んだ相手に近づき、同じ位置や水準に達すること。saki ni susu n da ai te ni chika zu ki ona ji i chi ya sui jun ni tas su ru ko to

Word origin

追いつく (oitsuku) combines 追う (ō, "pursue") and 付く (tsuku, "attach"), with 追う changing to its connecting form 追い (oi).

Usage tips

  • Sports reports use 追いつく (oitsuku) when a team erases a score deficit, linking the word to the idea of closing a gap.

Other meanings

  • reachverb

Opposites

Word lists with this word