あちこち

あちこち
noun, adverb
here and there, all over
1. here and there, various places
Multiple locations, not just one specific place.
I searched here and there.
I traveled to various places.
I searched all over for the cat but couldn't find it.
I looked around various places.
On days off, I go out to various places.
2. all over, everywhere
Many different places throughout an area.
There are books all over the room.
My body hurts all over.
There are shops all over town.
Various parts of the house have gotten old.
There are scratches everywhere.

あちこち means "here and there" or "various places." It can function as either a noun or an adverb.

USAGE:

  • As noun: あちこちに/で/を + verb
  • As adverb: あちこち + verb (directly modifies the verb)

VARIATIONS:

  • あちらこちら: same meaning, slightly more formal or polite
  • あっちこっち: same meaning, more casual

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • あちこち(さが)す: to search here and there
  • あちこちに()らばる: scattered all over
  • あちこち(ある)(まわ)る: to walk around various places
  • (からだ)のあちこちが(いた)い: various parts of the body hurt

NOTE:
Part of the ko-so-a-do demonstrative system: こちら (here) → あちら (there, far). あちこち combines あちら and こちら, conveying the idea of "this place and that place" — i.e., all over.