見かける・見掛ける|みかけるmikakeru[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Which spelling to use
見かける見かける is the more common written form and the recommended choice for beginners; use it when writing this word.
見掛ける見掛ける is a less common written variant of 見かける. You may encounter it, but beginners should generally choose 見かける instead.
Definitions
  1. ichidan verb, transitive verbto (happen to) see; to notice; to catch sight of
    私は安室あむろ奈美恵なみえを見みかけた。↗
    I caught sight of Namie Amuro.
Conjugation
Dictionary form見かける(みかける)
Polite (masu)見かけます(みかけます)
Negative (nai)見かけない(みかけない)
polite (masen)見かけません(みかけません)
classical zu / nu見かけず・見かけぬ(みかけず・みかけぬ)
Past (ta)見かけた(みかけた)
polite (mashita)見かけました(みかけました)
Past negative (nakatta)見かけなかった(みかけなかった)
polite (masen deshita)見かけませんでした(みかけませんでした)
Te form見かけて(みかけて)
Potential見かけられる(みかけられる)
Passive見かけられる(みかけられる)
Causative見かけさせる(みかけさせる)
Causative passive見かけさせられる(みかけさせられる)
Conditional (ba)見かければ(みかければ)
tara見かけたら(みかけたら)
Volitional見かけよう(みかけよう)
polite (mashou)見かけましょう(みかけましょう)
Imperative見かけろ(みかけろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym見受けるみうけるWrittenWritten-style word for seeing, also for supposing something from appearances; 「見かける」 is simply happening to see.
  • Related目撃もくげきNeutralTo witness an event or accident with your own eyes, as in 「事故を目撃」; 「見かける」 is just happening to catch sight of someone.
  • Related垣間見るかいまみるNeutralTo peep through a gap or catch a glimpse of one side of something, as in 「素顔を垣間見る」; 「見かける」 is happening to see by chance.
  • Relatedお目にかかるおめにかかるFormalHumble, formal term for meeting or calling on someone you need to show respect to; 「見かける」 is just happening to see, with no sense of deference.
  • Antonym見逃すみのがすNeutralThe opposite of 「見かける」 in whether you see: it means to miss something or let it pass.
  • Antonym見落とすみおとすNeutralAlso the opposite of 「見かける」 in whether you see: it means to look but fail to notice something.

Use 「見かける」 for happening to see someone, as in 「駅で見かけた」. For witnessing an event or accident, use 「目撃」; for humbly meeting a respected person, 「お目にかかる」; for glimpsing a side, 「垣間見る」. 「見受ける」 is written prose; 「見逃す」 and 「見落とす」 mean to miss or overlook.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. (偶然ぐうぜん)目めに止とまる。
  2. 表面ひょうめんの様子ようすをすこしみる。みうける。
  3. みはじめる。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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