集まる・集る|あつまるatsumaru[3]nakadaka (mid-high)
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Which spelling to use
集まる集まる is the most common written form and the recommended default for beginners; use it when choosing between these two spellings.
集る集る is a less common variant with irregular okurigana. Beginners should normally use 集まる instead.
Definitions
- godan verb, intransitive verbto gather; to collect; to assemble私達は先生の前に集まった。↗We gathered around the teacher.
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 集まる（あつまる） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 集まります（あつまります） |
| Negative (nai) | 集まらない（あつまらない） |
| polite (masen) | 集まりません（あつまりません） |
| classical zu / nu | 集まらず・集まらぬ（あつまらず・あつまらぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 集まった（あつまった） |
| polite (mashita) | 集まりました（あつまりました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 集まらなかった（あつまらなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 集まりませんでした（あつまりませんでした） |
| Te form | 集まって（あつまって） |
| Potential | 集まれる（あつまれる） |
| Passive | 集まられる（あつまられる） |
| Causative | 集まらせる（あつまらせる） |
| Causative passive | 集まらせられる・集まらされる（あつまらせられる・あつまらされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 集まれば（あつまれば） |
| tara | 集まったら（あつまったら） |
| Volitional | 集まろう（あつまろう） |
| polite (mashou) | 集まりましょう（あつまりましょう） |
| Imperative | 集まれ（あつまれ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Transitive / intransitive pair
人が広場に集まる
人が人を集める
集まる emphasizes the event or resulting state, as in 人が広場に集まる; 集める foregrounds the agent acting on something, as in 人が人を集める.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym集うつどうWrittenAn elegant written word for people gathering, often those sharing an activity, as in 「旅人が集う宿」; 「集まる」 is more everyday and can also cover things or attention.
- Synonym会するかいするFormalFormal word for gathering with a set purpose, as in 「一堂に会する」; more solemn than 「集まる」.
- Synonym寄り集まるよりあつまるNeutralMany people or things drifting together in one place, as in 「近所の人が寄り集まる」; stresses a loose, piecemeal coming together.
- Synonym群がるむらがるNeutralPeople or animals crowding together in a swarm, as in 「蟻が群がる」; paints the swarm-like image more vividly than 「集まる」.
- Synonym群れるむれるNeutralActing as a flock or pack, sometimes with a pejorative nuance of mindlessly following the crowd; 「集まる」 just means coming together, with no joint activity implied.
- Synonym群集ぐんしゅうWrittenWritten word for swarming together, or for the crowd pressed into one place, as in 「群集心理」; 「集まる」 is a verb and does not name the crowd itself.
- Synonym寄り合うよりあうWrittenWritten word for several people coming together in one place; not much used. Close to 「集まる」 but mainly about people; in daily speech 「集まる」 works.
- Synonym蝟集いしゅうFormalA formal, literary word for large numbers of people or things converging on one spot; stresses sheer quantity more than 「集まる」, the everyday choice.
- Synonym雲集うんしゅうFormalA formal, literary word for masses gathering like clouds, with a vivid image; 「集まる」 does not stress scale and is more common in daily use.
- Synonym会わすあわすCasualTransitive verb: making people meet or exposing someone to something, as in 「ひどい目に会わす」; not a spontaneous gathering.
- RelatedあうNeutralMeeting or encountering someone, any number of people, as in 「友達に会う」; focuses on people meeting each other, not a crowd coming together in one place.
- Related会合かいごうFormalFormal word for meeting or holding a gathering, and for the gathering itself; can also mean confluence. 「集まる」 is only the action and cannot serve as a noun.
- Related集会しゅうかいNeutralMany people gathering for a shared purpose, or such a meeting; 「集まる」 also applies to things and requires no common purpose.
- Related集合しゅうごうNeutralPeople or things gathering, the group so formed, and also a set in mathematics; 「集まる」 is only the action. Neither requires a prior arrangement.
- Related参集さんしゅうFormalFormal word for coming to a place and assembling, common in notices such as 「ご参集ください」; in daily speech say 「集まる」.
- Related集結しゅうけつWrittenWritten word for personnel or forces converging, as in 「部隊が集結する」; typical of troops and police, and can also mean 「集める」. Everyday use: 「集まる」.
- Related積み重なるつみかさなるNeutralThings piling up layer on layer, or the number and degree of something steadily growing; 「集まる」 only means converging, without the piling-up nuance.
- RelatedたまるNeutralThings collecting or building up, as in 「水が溜まる」 and 「ストレスが溜まる」; with people it means lingering in one place, as in 「駅前に人が溜まる」.
- Related集めるあつめるNeutralTransitive verb for collecting people or things together, as in 「切手を集める」; 「集まる」 is intransitive.
- Related積もるつもるNeutralSnow, dust and the like piling up, or matters accumulating; also to estimate. 「集まる」 lacks the layer-upon-layer build-up nuance.
- Related会同かいどうFormalFormal word for gathering to hold a meeting, or for such a meeting itself; 「集まる」 describes only the act of gathering and is not limited to meetings.
- Related顔を合わせるかおをあわせるCasualColloquial idiom for meeting face to face or appearing together on stage; stresses people facing each other, not a crowd assembling.
- RelatedたむろするWrittenWritten word for a group hanging about and staying put somewhere, as in 「若者が屯する」; often disapproving when the gathering is idle; also troops being stationed.
- Antonym散るちるNeutralAntonym in the sense of scattering and dispersing; it also means blossoms or leaves falling, so not every use contrasts with 「集まる」.
- Antonym分散するWrittenWritten word for people or things spreading out to different places, or attention being divided; the opposite of 「集まる」's converging in one place.
For people or things coming together in one place, 「集まる」 is the default choice. 「集合」 also names the group formed (and the mathematical set); 「集う」 and 「会する」 add an elegant or formal air; 「群がる」 paints a swarm; 「溜まる」 and 「積もる」 are for things building up; 「散る」 is the opposite, scattering.
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
