To hit or strike something; to make physical contact by impact.
ボールが窓に当たって、ガラスが割れた。
The ball hit the window and the glass broke.
彼の拳が相手の胸に当たった。
His fist struck the opponent's chest.
矢が的に当たった。
The arrow hit the target.
To touch; to be in contact with; to be pressed against.
テーブルの角にひじが当たって痛い。
My elbow is hitting the corner of the table and it hurts.
カーテンが窓に当たって風で揺れている。
The curtain is touching the window and is fluttering in the wind.
To correspond to or be applicable to something; to be equivalent; to fall under (often used as '〜に当たる').
その行為は法律では犯罪に当たる。
That act constitutes a crime under the law.
この制度は欧米での規則に当たる部分が多い。
This system largely corresponds to rules in Europe and the US.
この言葉は辞書では『古い』に当たる説明がある。
In the dictionary, this word is described as corresponding to 'old'.
To be exactly right (e.g., a prediction or criticism); to hit the mark.
君の予想は見事に当たったね。
Your prediction was spot on.
彼の批評はいつも鋭く、今回は特に当たっていた。
His criticism is always sharp, and this time it was especially accurate.
この占いは当たっている気がする。
I feel like this fortune-telling is accurate.
To be selected (e.g., in a lottery); to win/prize comes up.
宝くじで十万円が当たった。
I won 100,000 yen in the lottery.
抽選で無料チケットが当たったので行ってきた。
I got free tickets in the draw, so I went.
今回は残念ながら外れて、誰も当たらなかった。
Unfortunately no one won this time; nobody got selected.
To be successful; to be a hit (a product, show, etc.)
新製品が市場で当たって、売り上げが伸びた。
The new product was a hit in the market and sales increased.
彼の映画は評判になり、シリーズ化して当たった。
His film gained a reputation and became a successful series.
今回の企画が当たれば会社にとって大きな利益になる。
If this project succeeds, it will bring big profits to the company.
To face or confront (an opponent or issue); to be matched against someone/something.
次の試合で強豪チームに当たることになった。
We'll be up against a strong team in the next match.
面接で厳しい質問に当たって、うまく答えられなかった。
I faced tough questions in the interview and couldn't answer well.
その仕事は彼が当たるべきだと上司が決めた。
The boss decided that he should be assigned that job.
To lie in a certain direction or region; to correspond geographically to (often '〜に当たる').
この町は県の北部に当たる。
This town lies in the northern part of the prefecture.
その島は日本の領海に当たると主張された。
The island was claimed to fall within Japanese territorial waters.
To be assigned or to fall to someone (a task, role, etc.).
今月の会議の司会は私に当たった。
I was assigned to chair this month's meeting.
この仕事は彼に当たると思う。
I think this job should fall to him.
To be stricken by (food poisoning, heatstroke, etc.); to suffer from an affliction.
昨日の寿司で食中毒に当たったらしい。
It seems I got food poisoning from yesterday's sushi.
長時間外にいて熱中症に当たって倒れた。
He collapsed from heatstroke after being outside for a long time.
To be called on (e.g., by a teacher); to be chosen to speak or answer.
授業中に突然当たって、答えられなかった。
I was suddenly called on during class and couldn't answer.
今日は私が当たったので、準備して発表した。
I was the one called on today, so I prepared and presented.
To lash out at or take out one's anger on someone; to treat someone harshly.
彼は上司に怒られて、帰ってから家族に当たった。
He was scolded by his boss and then took it out on his family at home.
疲れているときは人に当たらないように気をつけている。
When I'm tired, I try not to take it out on others.
To be unnecessary or unwarranted (used in phrases like '〜するには当たらない' meaning 'there's no need to...').
そこまで心配するには当たらないよ。
There's no need to worry that much.
彼の謝罪は受けるに当たらないと断った。
She refused, saying there was no need to accept his apology.
In baseball, to be hitting well; to be in a hitting streak (often '当たっている').
最近彼は打率が高くて、当たっているね。
He's been hitting well recently; he's on a roll.
In fishing, to feel a bite; to get a strike from a fish.
今日は全然当たらない。魚の気配がないよ。
Nothing's biting today. There's no sign of fish.
To be bruised or spoiled (as with fruit); to be damaged from impact.
箱の中のリンゴが当たって、いくつか傷んでいた。
Some apples in the box were bruised and had gone bad.
To consult (sources), probe into, or check by referring to materials or information.
判例に当たって事実関係を確かめた。
I checked the facts by consulting case law.
まず資料に当たって、前例を調べてください。
First consult the materials and look into previous cases, please.
To shave (to touch a blade or tool to skin/hair) — a rarer/ dialectal usage related to applying a blade.
床屋で顔に当たってきれいに剃ってもらった。
I had my face neatly shaved at the barber.
To correspond to being a relative of someone; to occupy a particular relation to someone (used as '〜の〜に当たる').
彼は私の母の弟に当たる。
He is my mother's younger brother (i.e., my uncle).
この役職は会社で副社長に当たるポジションだ。
This role corresponds to a vice-president position in the company.