Tsu-ku (つく, 突く), tsu-ku (つく, 着く), tsu-ku (つく, 付く)

つく(tsu-ku) has versatile meanings. By using Chinese characters we can find seemingly different meanings.

突く (つく, tsu-ku) - to push with some tool with a point. Transitive verb.
着く (つく, tsu-ku) - to arrive. Intransitive verb.
付く (つく, tsu-ku) - to attach. Intransitive verb. The transitive verb form is 付ける (つける, tsu-ke-ru).
就く (つく, tsu-ku) - to kake (a post). Intransitive verb.
衝く (つく, tsu-ku) - to attack at a narrow area. The transitive verb.
尽く (つく, tsu-ku) - to use up, to reach at the end. Note: now usually 尽きる (つく, tsu-ki-ru) is used. Both 尽く (つく, tsu-ku) and 尽きる (つく, tsu-ki-ru)  are intransitive verbs. The transitive verb form is 尽くす (つくす, tsu-ku-su).
憑く (つく, tsu-ku) - to attach, mentally or psychologically. Intransitive verb.
搗く (つく, tsu-ku) - to pound (dough, rice, etc). Transitive verb.
点く (つく, tsu-ku) - to light up, to catch fire. 着く or 付く is also used for this use. Intransitive verb.

There are several ways to sort them out into two groups in term of meanings. One way is to divide them, in terms of grammar, into 1) Transitive verb and 2) Intransitive verb.

1) Transitive verbs - taking を（wo, o) showing a direct object
突く (つく, tsu-ku) - to push with some tool with a point
衝く (つく, tsu-ku) - to attack at a narrow area
搗く (つく, tsu-ku) - to pound (dough, rice)

The general meaning of these is <to hit at a point>.

2) Intransitive verbs - taking に (ni) showing an indirect object, usually place

着く (つく, tsu-ku) - to arrive at
付く (つく, tsu-ku) - to attach (to be attached), to stick to. Intransitive verb in Japanese.
就く (つく, tsu-ku) - to kake (a post) - Intransitive verb in Japanese.<to take a seat> ＜席につく(seki-ni-tsuku)＞, <to take a sea of king> ＜王位につく(oui-ni-tsuku)＞.
尽く (つく, tsu-ku) - to use up (to be used up), to reach to the limit
憑く (つく, tsu-ku) - to attach at (to), to be attached, mentally or psychologically. Intransitive verb in Japanese.
点く (つく, tsu-ku) - to light up, to catch fire

The general meaning of these is< to come(get) to a point>. The last one つく(tsu-ku) <to light up, to catch fire> may be regarded as <to happen (or some change) at a point>.


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