How to say "gather" in Japanese

• 集まるあつまるJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbGather in the sense of people or things coming together on their own: a crowd assembles, a group forms. The subject gathers itself; 集める is the transitive counterpart with you doing the gathering.
  私達わたしたちは先生せんせいの前まえに集あつまった。↗

  We gathered around the teacher.
• 集めるあつめるJLPT N4approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbGather in the transitive sense: you collect things or people and bring them together into one place. Use this when someone actively does the gathering, as opposed to 集まる.
  趣味しゅみは切手きってを集あつめることです。↗

  My hobby is collecting stamps.
• 拾うひろうJLPT N4approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbReally means to pick something up — take a thing lying there into your hand. As gather it suits gathering scattered things up piece by piece; it is seldom the word for assembling people.
  床ゆかからペンを拾ひろって下ください。↗

  Please pick up the pen from the floor.
• たまるJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbGather in the sense of accumulate: things build up or pile up by themselves over time, as when money is saved up. Not for people coming together; usually written in kana alone.
  彼女かのじょの目めに涙なみだがたまった。↗

  Tears gathered in her eyes.
• 揃えるそろえるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbGather as in getting a set of things together until it is complete: you collect what is needed so that everything required is on hand. The point is completeness, not mere accumulation.
  そのアパートはビクトリア朝風あさかぜの家具かぐを揃そろえてあった。↗

  The apartment was furnished in the Victorian style.

Use 「集まる」 for people or things coming together, 「集める」 for actively collecting them, 「拾う」 for picking things up, 「たまる」 for things accumulating on their own, and 「揃える」 for completing a set.

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

• 集まるあつまるto gather
• 集めるあつめるto collect
• 拾うひろうto pick up
• たまるto collect
• 揃えるそろえるto collect
• たかるto gather
• 察知さっちto sense
• 取りまとめるとりまとめるto collect
• 会するかいするto meet
• 群がるむらがるto swarm
• 取り揃えるとりそろえるto assemble (e.g. goods into a set)
• 持ち寄るもちよるto gather (bringing something)
• ギャザーgather (dressmaking)
• 拾い集めるひろいあつめるto gather
• たむろうto gather (of people)
• 取り集めるとりあつめるto gather
• 寄り合うよりあうto gather
• たむろするto gather (of people)
• たむろすto gather (of people)
• ギャーザーgather (e.g. in cloth)
• 寄せ集めるよせあつめるto put together
• 奮い起こすふるいおこすto muster (e.g. courage)
• 駆り集めるかりあつめるto round up
• 会すかいすto meet
• 額を集めるひたいをあつめるto put heads together
• 額を寄せ合うひたいをよせあうto put heads together
• 揃うそろうto gather
• 寄るよるto gather (in one place)
• 固まるかたまるto gather (together)
• 加えるくわえるto increase
• 固めるかためるto put together
• 推すおすto infer (from)
• 採るとるto pick (e.g. flowers)
• 寄せるよせるto bring near
• 加わるくわわるto increase (e.g. heat)
• つぐto add (e.g. charcoal to the fire)
• うかがうto guess
• 狩るかるto go looking for (flowers, etc.)
• すだくto gather
• 挙げるあげるto summon up (e.g. all of one's energy)
• 取るとるto pick (e.g. flowers)
• 呼ぶよぶto garner (support, etc.)
• こしらえるto raise money (for)
• こさえるto raise money (for)