見つける・見付ける|みつけるmitsukeru[0]heiban (flat)
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Which spelling to use
見つける見つける is the most common written form and the recommended choice for beginners. It uses a mixture of kanji and kana.
見付ける見付ける is a less common kanji-and-kana variant of 見つける. Beginners should choose 見つける instead.
Definitions
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto find; to discover; to come across; to spot; to catch (someone doing)
- ichidan verb, transitive verbto be used to seeing; to be familiar with
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 見つける（みつける） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 見つけます（みつけます） |
| Negative (nai) | 見つけない（みつけない） |
| polite (masen) | 見つけません（みつけません） |
| classical zu / nu | 見つけず・見つけぬ（みつけず・みつけぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 見つけた（みつけた） |
| polite (mashita) | 見つけました（みつけました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 見つけなかった（みつけなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 見つけませんでした（みつけませんでした） |
| Te form | 見つけて（みつけて） |
| Potential | 見つけられる（みつけられる） |
| Passive | 見つけられる（みつけられる） |
| Causative | 見つけさせる（みつけさせる） |
| Causative passive | 見つけさせられる（みつけさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 見つければ（みつければ） |
| tara | 見つけたら（みつけたら） |
| Volitional | 見つけよう（みつけよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 見つけましょう（みつけましょう） |
| Imperative | 見つけろ（みつけろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
鍵が見つかる
鍵を見つける
見つかる focuses on the event or resulting state, as in 鍵が見つかる; 見つける foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 鍵を見つける.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym見出すみいだすWrittenWritten. Picking out something valuable from among many, with a nuance of unearthing it, as in 「才能を見出す」.
- Synonym突き止めるつきとめるWrittenWritten. Finding out a cause or whereabouts by tracking it to the very end, as in 「原因を突き止める」.
- Synonym発見はっけんNeutralSino-Japanese word for discovering something new or finding what you seek, as in 「新大陸の発見」; fine in both speech and writing.
- Synonym検出けんしゅつFormalFormal term for detecting a substance, as in 「ウイルスを検出する」.
- Synonym探知たんちFormalFormal detection, whether by instrument or through investigation and observation, as in 「レーダーで探知する」.
- Synonym見つけ出すみつけだすNeutralEmphasizes the result of finally finding something after a search, as in 「犯人を見つけ出す」.
- Synonym探し出すさがしだすNeutralFocuses on the process of searching until you find it, as in 「資料を探し出す」.
- SynonymめっけるCasualColloquial slang for finding or coming across something, as in 「いいもの目っけた」.
- Synonym探し当てるさがしあてるWrittenWritten. Finally finding something after searching all over, as in 「家を探し当てる」.
- Synonym探り当てるさぐりあてるWrittenWritten. Arriving at the truth after repeated probing and investigation, as in 「真相を探り当てる」.
- Synonym嗅ぎ出すかぎだすNeutralScenting out or detecting something hidden, as in 「秘密を嗅ぎ出す」; has a detective-like feel.
- Synonym探り出すさぐりだすWrittenWritten. Digging out hidden facts or the truth through a stretch of probing and inquiry, as in 「秘密を探り出す」.
- Synonym嗅ぎつけるかぎつけるNeutralPicking up on signs and getting wind of something, as in 「マスコミが嗅ぎつける」.
- Synonym検知けんちFormalFormal term for a machine detecting or sensing something, as in 「異常を検知する」.
- Related見当たるみあたるNeutralMostly used in the negative 「見当たらない」 to say something cannot be found.
- Related出くわすでくわすCasualColloquial for running into something by chance, as in 「熊に出くわす」; often unexpected or unwelcome.
- Related出会うであうNeutralMeeting or encountering by chance, centered on people, as in 「運命の人に出会う」.
- Related気づくきづくNeutralNoticing or becoming aware of something, as in 「ミスに気づく」.
- Related悟るさとるWrittenWritten. Grasping the true meaning inwardly, as in 「死期を悟る」.
- Related知るしるNeutralComing to know or learn something, centered on gaining information, as in 「事実を知る」.
- Related見て取るみてとるWrittenWritten. Seeing a situation at a glance, as in 「状況を見て取る」.
- RelatedめっかるCasualColloquial slang for being found, as in 「やっとめっかった」.
- Antonym隠すかくすNeutralAntonym: hiding something so it will not be found.
- AntonymなくすNeutralAntonym: losing something you had.
- Antonym見失うみうしなうNeutralAntonym: losing sight of something you were watching or following.
For finding or discovering something, 「見つける」 is the default. Use 「発見」 in more formal or written contexts, 「見つけ出す」 when you finally find something after a search, 「突き止める」 to pin down a cause or culprit, and 「気づく」 for noticing. For technical detection choose 「検出」, for chance encounters 「出くわす」, and for losing something 「無くす」. The rest cover narrower senses: written or slangy variants, probing out hidden facts, machine sensing, and chance meetings with people.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
