Yuka出会う and 会う both mean “to meet” — but native speakers choose between them very deliberately. Which do you use and when?
Rei会う (au) is the everyday word for meeting someone — arranged or incidental. 出会う (deau) means to encounter or come across — often with a sense of chance or meaningful first meeting.
| 出会う (deau) | 会う (au) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | To encounter / come across / meet (first time, often meaningful) | To meet / see (general) |
| Nuance | Chance, fate, meaningful encounter | Neutral — planned or unplanned |
| Common use | Destiny, first encounters, surprising finds | Everyday meeting with known people |
| Example | 素晴らしい人に出会った。 | 友達に会った。 |
会う — Everyday Meeting
会う is the general, neutral word for meeting or seeing someone. It works for planned meetings, catching up with friends, and business appointments.
- 明日、友達に会います。— I’m meeting a friend tomorrow.
- 駅で偶然先生に会った。— I happened to run into my teacher at the station.
- 毎週家族に会っている。— I see my family every week.
出会う — Meaningful Encounter
出会う carries a sense of coming across something or someone — often for the first time, often by chance, often with significance. It is used for fateful meetings, discovering something great, or encountering new things.
- 人生で一番大切な人に出会った。— I met the most important person in my life.
- 素晴らしい音楽に出会った。— I came across wonderful music.
- この本との出会いが人生を変えた。— The encounter with this book changed my life.
出会い — The Encounter
出会い (deai) is the noun form of 出会う and is widely used to describe a significant meeting or connection — in romance, life events, and personal growth.
- 素敵な出会いがあった。— I had a wonderful encounter / I met someone wonderful.
- 出会い系アプリ — Dating app (lit. “encounter-type app”)
- 出会いを大切にしたい。— I want to treasure meaningful encounters.
Common Mistakes for English Speakers
Both translate as “meet” in English, so learners often default to 会う. But 出会う has a specific resonance of chance, fate, or meaningful first contact that 会う lacks. Use 出会う when describing an encounter that felt significant or when meeting someone for the first time in a meaningful way.
Quick Quiz
Which verb would you use to describe how you met your best friend for the first time in a meaningful, almost fated way?
Answer: 出会う — 親友に出会った。
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