How to say "confront" in Japanese

• 迎え撃つむかえうつCommon
  godan verb, transitive verbFor the concrete sense of confronting in combat: meeting an approaching enemy and attacking, engaging or intercepting them. It does not fit the sense of confronting an issue or problem.
• 向き合うむきあうCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbYour default for the abstract sense of confronting an issue: it pictures turning to face the problem itself and engaging with it rather than turning away.
• 当面とうめんCommon
  suru verb, intransitive verbAlso covers confronting an issue, with the nuance of facing up to it: the problem stands before you and must be acknowledged and dealt with.
  現在げんざい我々われわれが当面とうめんしている問題もんだいは新あたらしいものではない。↗

  The problem before us today is not a new one.
• 直面ちょくめんJLPT N1approx.Common
  suru verb, intransitive verbTo face or confront something head-on: the matter is right in front of you and you meet it directly. Its 'encounter' sense covers coming up against something.
  我々われわれは一大いちだい危機ききに直面ちょくめんしている。↗

  We are facing a violent crisis.

Use 「迎え撃つ」 for physically meeting and engaging an approaching enemy; for confronting an issue or problem, choose among 「向き合う」, 当面, and 直面, which picture turning to face it, facing up to it, and meeting it head-on.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 迎え撃つむかえうつto meet (the enemy) and attack
• 向かい合わせるむかいあわせるto face
• 向き合うむきあうto confront (an issue)
• 当面とうめんto confront (an issue)
• 直面ちょくめんto face
• 見えるまみえるto face (an enemy)
• ぶち当たるぶちあたるto face (trouble, difficulties, etc.)
• 対するたいするto confront
• 当たるあたるto face
• 対すたいすto confront