How to say "meet" in Japanese

• あうJLPT N5approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbThe general, default verb for meeting a person: it covers meeting, encountering, and seeing someone, whether the meeting is arranged or happens by chance.
  前まえに彼かれにあったのを覚おぼえている。↗

  I remember seeing him before.
• 出会うであうJLPT N3approx.Common
  godan verb, intransitive verbUse this when the meeting is by chance — coming across or running into someone unexpectedly — rather than an arranged one.
  きのう旧友きゅうゆうの一人ひとりに出会であった。↗

  I saw an old friend of mine yesterday.
• 応ずるおうずるJLPT N2approx.Common
  ichidan verb (-zuru), intransitive verbNot a word for meeting people: it means to answer or respond, so its 'meet' is the sense of meeting demands or expectations by responding to them.
• 満たすみたすJLPT N1approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbCovers 'meet' in the sense of satisfy or fulfill: meeting demands or conditions, or satisfying an appetite — not a way to say you meet a person.
  この仕事しごとはわれわれの必要条件ひつようじょうけんを満みたしていない。↗

  This work does not meet our requirements.
• 集うつどうCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbFor people meeting or gathering as a group: assembling or congregating in one place. It has a formal or literary flavor, so it is not the usual choice for simply meeting someone.
  すべての野獣やじゅうが集つどう。↗

  The wild beasts all gather.

Use 「あう」 as the default for meeting or seeing people, 「出会う」 for chance encounters, 「集う」 for groups gathering in a formal or literary register, and 「満たす」 or 「応ずる」 for meeting demands or conditions rather than people.

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

• あうto meet
• 出会うであうto meet (by chance)
• 応ずるおうずるto answer
• 満たすみたすto satisfy (conditions, one's appetite, etc.)
• 集うつどうto meet
• 出迎えるでむかえるto meet
• 会するかいするto meet
• 合うあうto come together
• 添うそうto meet (wishes, expectations, etc.)
• 応えるこたえるto respond
• あてはまるto apply (of a rule)
• 交わるまじわるto cross
• 見えるまみえるto have an audience
• 適うかなうto suit (one's needs, tastes, purpose, etc.)
• 噛み合うかみあうto mesh (of gears, cogs, etc.)
• 顔を合わせるかおをあわせるto meet
• お目にかかるおめにかかるto meet (someone of higher status)
• 目にかかるめにかかるto meet (someone of higher status)
• 顔合わせるかおあわせるto meet
• 会すかいすto meet
• 顔を合わすかおをあわすto meet
• 寄り合うよりあうto gather
• 相まみえるあいまみえるto have an audience (with)
• 適えるかなえるto fulfill (a condition)
• 一緒になるいっしょになるto come together
• 見舞われるみまわれるto be hit (by a typhoon, earthquake, etc.)
• 沿うそうto meet (wishes, expectations, etc.)
• 寄るよるto gather (in one place)
• 臨むのぞむto face (a situation, crisis, etc.)
• 大会たいかいtournament
• たどるto head towards (of a situation)
• かち合うかちあうto meet (by chance)