宛てる

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 宛てる is read as あてる and is a transitive verb meaning to address a letter or package to a recipient.
• Basic usage: Writing a letter to a friend appears in 友人に宛てて手紙を書く, while a package addressed to one’s father appears in 父に宛てられた荷物.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Recipient and passive form
  • Mark the recipient with に and the addressed state with passive 宛てられた.
• Difference from 送る
  • 宛てる focuses on designating the recipient rather than the general act of sending.