The Meaning of todoke [届け] In Japanese

届け
とどけ
Romaji: todoke N5

What does 届け mean?

Translation and Meaning

delivery, submission, filing, notification

Definition

What does 届け mean? It denotes the act or result of delivering something to a recipient, or the act of submitting or notifying authorities about information, capturing both physical delivery and formal submission in a single concept.

Type

noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • delivery of packages, mail, or goods to a designated recipient
  • filing or notification of documents or information to an authority or organization
  • the act of reporting or informing someone who needs to know
  • the result when something reaches its intended destination

Etymology

From the verb 届く (todoku) with the nominalizing suffix け, creating a noun that names the process or result of reaching and delivering.

Composition

  • 届: reach or arrive, the semantic core
  • け: kana that nominalizes the verb stem, turning the concept into the act or instance of delivering or notifying

Usage

In everyday speech 届ける expresses delivering something to a recipient, while 届け出 is used for official filings or notices; common constructions include 荷物を届ける and 届け先, with formal nuance in administrative contexts and practical nuance in daily life.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine a doorstep where a package finally reaches; the kanji 届 conveys reaching, and the added け marks the resulting action, helping recall that todoke is about delivering or submitting to a destination.

Variations

  • 届け (todoke) — noun form meaning delivery
  • 届け出 (todokede) — filing/notice
  • 配達 (haitatsu) — delivery of goods
  • 届く (todoku) — to reach or arrive

Example Phrases

  • この 書類 を 郵便局 に 届けて ください。
    Kono shorui o yuubinkyoku ni todokete kudasai.
    Please deliver this document to the post office.
    Lista:
    • この (kono) – this
    • 書類 (shorui) – document
    • を (wo) – object marker
    • 郵便局 (yuubinkyoku) – post office
    • に (ni) – destination particle
    • 届けて (todokete) – deliver
    • ください (kudasai) – please
    Core grammar: the verb 届ける (to deliver) uses the te-form 届けて to request action with ください; the base kanji for the verb is 「届け」.
届け