1.
to approach, to come near
To move closer.
もっと近くに寄って。
Come closer.
猫が寄ってきた。
A cat came near.
岸に寄る。
To approach the shore.
人が寄ってくる。
People are gathering.
寄ると触ると。
At every opportunity (idiom).
2.
to stop by, to drop in
To visit briefly.
コンビニに寄る。
To stop by the convenience store.
帰りに友人の家に寄った。
I stopped by a friend's house on the way home.
銀行に寄ってから行く。
I'll go after stopping by the bank.
ちょっと寄っていかない？
Won't you drop by for a bit?
本屋に寄って雑誌を買った。
I stopped by the bookstore and bought a magazine.
寄る has two main meanings: to physically approach something, or to briefly stop at a place.
TRANSITIVITY:
- Type: 自動詞 (intransitive)
- Pair: 寄せる (transitive, to bring near)
ASPECT (ている):
寄っている indicates the state of being near or having stopped by.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 〜に寄る: to stop by (a place)
- 寄ってくる: to approach, come near
- 寄っていく: to stop by on the way
- 帰りに寄る: to stop by on the way home
NOTE:
Do not confuse with 因る (to be due to) or 拠る (to be based on), which use different kanji.