The Difference between 遅れる（おくれる）, 遅刻する（ちこくする）, 遅延する（ちえんする）
The three words【遅れる（おくれる）, 遅刻する（ちこくする）, 遅延する（ちえんする）】 all mean something like “to be late” or “to delay,” but they’re used in different contexts in Japanese. Let’s break them down one by one: 1. 遅れる（おくれる） Meaning : to be late, to fall behind. Usage : General word for being late to something. It’s often used when a person is late for a meeting, class, or appointment. It can also mean to fall behind schedule. Example : 授業に遅れる。(Jyugō ni okureru.) → Be late for class 電車が予定より遅れる。(Densha ga yotei yori okureru.) → The train is behind schedule Broad and common. Can apply to both people and things. 2. 遅刻する（ちこくする） Meaning: to be late (specifically for school, work, or other obligations). Usage: Strongly tied to being late to something you’re expected to attend, like school, work, or appointments. It’s usually about a person, not a train or object. Example: 学校に遅刻する。(Gakkō ni chikoku suru.) → Be late to school 会議に遅刻する。(Kaigi ni chikoku suru.) → Be late to a meeting More formal than 遅れる, and o...
