あう・会う・逢う・遭う・遇うau[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. godan verb, intransitive verbto meet; to encounter; to see逢う is often used for close friends, etc. and may be associated with drama or pathos; 遭う may have an undesirable nuance
   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.
2. godan verb, intransitive verbto have an accident; to have a bad experienceesp. 遭う when in kanji
   駅えきへ行いく途中とちゅうでにわか雨あめに遭あった。↗

   I was caught in a shower on my way to the station.

• Synonym出会うであうNeutralFor meeting by chance or someone for the first time, as in 「運命の人に出会う」; it stresses the chance encounter, while 「会う」 can cover arranged meetings.
• Synonym会するかいするWrittenWritten word for people gathering in one place, as in 「一堂に会する」.
• Synonymめぐり合うめぐりあうNeutralFor reunions after a long separation or chance encounters, with a nuance of fate.
• Synonym面会めんかいNeutralFormal visiting, used mostly at hospitals, prisons and the like, as in 「面会時間」.
• Synonym遭遇そうぐうWrittenFor unexpectedly running into accidents, difficulties and the like, as in 「事故に遭遇する」; leans toward written style.
• Synonym出会いであいNeutralNoun for a meeting or encounter, as in 「素敵な出会い」.
• Synonym対面たいめんNeutralMeeting face to face, or facing each other, as in 「初対面」.
• Synonym際会さいかいWrittenWritten word for happening upon an occasion or situation; not used in daily life.
• Synonym会合かいごうNeutralGathering for a meeting, or the meeting itself, as in 「会合を開く」.
• Synonym落ち合うおちあうNeutralTo meet up as arranged at a set place, as in 「駅で落ち合う」.
• Synonymお目にかかるおめにかかるFormalHumble language for 「会う」, used when meeting someone of higher status, as in 「お目にかかれて光栄です」.
• Synonym会わすあわすNeutralTransitive: to make people meet, or to put someone through something, as in 「ひどい目に会わす」.
• Synonym顔を合わせるかおをあわせるNeutralTo meet face to face; also for co-starring in the same work or facing an opponent in a match.
• Synonym相見るあいみるWrittenWritten word for meeting or facing each other; not used in daily life.
• Synonym会遇かいぐうWrittenWritten word for a chance encounter; very rarely used.
• Related集うつどうWrittenWritten word for people with shared interests gathering, as in 「若者が集う街」; has a literary flavor.
• Related集まるあつまるNeutralFor many people gathering in one place, stressing numbers; 「会う」 stresses meeting a particular person.
• Related寄り合うよりあうNeutralFor people gathering together; a bit old-fashioned — say 「集まる」 in everyday speech.
• Antonym別れるわかれるNeutralAntonym: to part from someone or break up.
• Antonym避けるさけるNeutralAntonym: to avoid or steer clear of someone or something.

Use 「会う」 as the default for meeting someone. Pick 「出会う」 for chance or first meetings, 「お目にかかる」 for meeting a superior, 「落ち合う」 for arranged meetups, 「集まる」 for groups gathering, and 「遭遇」 for running into accidents or trouble. 「面会」 covers official visits and 「会合」 meetings as events; the written items 「会する」「集う」「際会」 and the like appear mainly in prose. 「別れる」 and 「避ける」 are its opposites.

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

1. 別々べつべつのところから同おなじ場ばに行き着いきつく意いを示しめす。
2. 偶然ぐうぜん性せいの強つよい場合ばあいは「遇あう」を使つかうこともある。遭遇そうぐうする。
3. （偶然ぐうぜんの要素ようそが強つよく）物事ものごとを経験けいけんする。遭遇そうぐうする。