te form + infinitive +noun


In a song called "Tegami" I don't understand 宛てて+書く in

> 未来の自分に **宛てて書く** 手紙なら

I wonder what's this rule and does this mean address(v) + write (v) or
together make new meaning?




宛てて書く is not an idiomatic/compound verb. It's just two verbs, connected using
the te-form.

宛てて is the te-form of the verb 宛てる (to address (a letter)), and this kind of
te-form describes how or under what circumstances the second verb (書く) is
done. In general, this type of `V1 + て/で + V2` can be translated as "V2
(while) doing V1" or "V2 by doing V1".

Examples:

>   * 歩いて学校に行く go to school by walking / go to school on foot
>   * 包丁を使ってたまねぎを切る cut an onion using a knife
>   * 未来の自分に宛てて手紙を書く write a letter addressing the future self
>   * 注意して歩く walk while paying attention / walk with attention
>   * 遊んで過ごす live an idle life
>

See: [て form and adverbial
meaning](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/38769/5010)

