How to say "assembly" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 会かいnoun, noun (suffix)Really denotes a meeting, party, or gathering of people; for 'assembly' in the formal sense of a deliberative body, it is seldom the word you want.
- 集合しゅうごうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbCovers the act of assembling — people meeting up at an appointed time and place — rather than the assembled group or a formal assembly as an institution.
- 集会しゅうかいnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbAn organized gathering of people for a shared purpose — the natural choice for 'assembly' as an event, such as a public meeting, rally, or school assembly; it can also cover religious congregations.
- 集まりあつまりnounA general word for a gathering: a group of people who have come together, or the gathering itself; its gloss 'collection' shows it can apply to things as well as people.ごく内輪の集まりなのです。↗It's quite an informal meeting.
- 会合かいごうnoun, suru verb, intransitive verbA meeting between people, often a scheduled one between officials or other parties; it is really 'meeting' rather than 'assembly', and seldom fits a large assembled crowd.
For the act of assembling choose 集合; for an organized or public gathering 集会; for a general get-together 「集まり」; 会 and 会合 are really meetings or parties, not assemblies.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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