に
Meanings
- destination
- indirect object
- point in time
- location of existence
- agent in passives
Nuance
に is the most polysemous particle in core Japanese — one form covering destination, recipient, location of being, and a fixed point in time.
Destination: 学校に行く — "go to school." Recipient (indirect object): 友達にプレゼントをあげる — "give a present to a friend." Static location with ある/いる: 駅に銀行がある — "there is a bank at the station" (use で for the location of an action, に for the location of existence). Time: 七時に起きる — "wake up at seven" (only with specific clock-times, dates, days; not with vague times like 今日, 朝).
The に / で contrast for locations is the most-asked follow-up question. 駅にいる = "is at the station" (state of being there). 駅で待つ = "wait at the station" (action happens there). "Wait" is an action, so で; "is" is existence, so に.
Examples
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学校に行く。がっこうにいく。I go to school.
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七時に起きる。しちじにおきる。I wake up at seven.
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友達にプレゼントをあげる。ともだちにプレゼントをあげる。I give a present to a friend.