1.
to go, to visit, to take the trouble to come
A polite or humble way to express going somewhere, implying effort or deliberate action.
Structure: 足 (foot, leg) + を + 運ぶ (to carry) — literally 'to carry one's feet' somewhere. The phrase foregrounds the effort of going, which is why it is the polite way to talk about someone else's visit.
Register: Polite and slightly formal. Typical settings:
- thanking a visitor, especially a customer or guest
- inviting customers to a shop or an event
- speaking modestly about trips one made oneself
It is rarely used for casual visits between friends; 行く or 来る is normal there.
Common patterns
- わざわざ足を運ぶ: to take the trouble to come
- 何度も足を運ぶ: to visit again and again
- 足を運んでいただく: to have someone make the trip (humble, used in thanks)
Similar words
Related Words
Compare:
行く (to go (neutral equivalent))
Related:
いらっしゃる (to come, to go (honorific))
Related:
足を引っ張る (hold back, drag down)
Compare:
お越しになる (to come)
Compare:
出向く (to go (to a place))