1.
to come; to go (humble)
Humble form of 行く and 来る, used when referring to one's own movement.
ただいま参ります。
I'm coming right away.
Humble announcement
明日、会社に参ります。
I will come to the company tomorrow.
お客様のところに直接参りますので、しばらくお待ちください。
I will come to you directly, so please wait a moment.
2.
to visit (a shrine or temple)
Used specifically for visiting sacred places.
神社に参りました。
I visited the shrine.
お正月に家族で近くの神社に参った。
We visited a nearby shrine as a family on New Year's.
毎年、祖母と一緒にあのお寺に参ることにしている。
Every year, I make it a point to visit that temple with my grandmother.
参る is the humble form for both 行く and 来る, as well as the standard term for visiting shrines/temples.
CONJUGATION:
- 参ります (polite)
- 参って (te-form)
- 参った (past)
SPECIAL USAGE:
- 参った can also mean 'I give up' or express being overwhelmed
KEIGO TYPE:
- 謙譲語: Humble language
- Honorific equivalent: いらっしゃる