面会|めんかいmenkai[0]heiban (flat)

1. noun, suru verb, intransitive verbmeeting (face-to-face); seeing; visit; interview
   あなたに面会めんかいしたいという婦人ふじんがいます。↗

   There's a lady asking for you.

• Synonym会見かいけんFormalFormal word for official meetings, mostly as 「記者会見」; public occasions. 「面会」 is visiting someone at a hospital, prison or the like.
• Synonym面談めんだんNeutralFace-to-face talk to discuss something, as in 「三者面談」「個別面談」; the point is the discussion. 「面会」 centers on seeing the person itself.
• SynonymあうNeutralThe most common verb for meeting, with no restriction on the setting. 「面会」 is a noun for arranged visits to restricted places like hospitals or prisons.
• Synonym会するかいするWrittenWritten word for gathering for a purpose, as in 「一堂に会する」; usually many people assemble. 「面会」 is going to see one particular person.
• Synonym面晤めんごWrittenWritten style for talking face to face; rare today, found in letters and old-fashioned prose. In everyday speech use 「面会」 or 「面談」.
• Synonym謁見えっけんFormalAn audience with a monarch or other exalted person, as in 「国王に謁見する」; a sharp status gap between the two. 「面会」 has no such hierarchy.
• Synonym拝謁はいえつFormalAlso an audience with the emperor or a noble, but humbler than 「謁見」— deference from the lower side. Not for ordinary meetings.
• Related会談かいだんFormalFormal talks held to discuss issues, as in 「首脳会談」「労使会談」. 「面会」 is simply meeting someone, with no discussion implied.
• Related面接めんせつNeutralA face-to-face talk to assess or select someone, as in 「採用面接」. 「面会」 has no such evaluative purpose.
• Related訪問ほうもんNeutralPaying a visit to someone's place, as in 「家庭訪問」; the emphasis is on going there. 「面会」 stresses seeing the person, often at a hospital.
• Related会遇かいぐうWrittenWritten word for meeting someone by chance; rare today. 「面会」 is a planned visit to see a person, not a chance encounter.
• Relatedお目にかかるおめにかかるFormalHumble equivalent of 「会う」 showing respect to the other party—clients, first meetings, etc., as in 「お目にかかれて光栄です」. 「面会」 itself carries no honorific sense.
• Related御目文字おめもじFormalA polite, feminine way of saying one is meeting someone, with an old-fashioned flavor; rare today. Say 「お目にかかる」 instead.
• Related顔を合わせるかおをあわせるCasualColloquial, for running into or seeing someone in daily life, as in 「毎朝顔を合わせる」. It can also mean co-starring, or meeting as opponents in a match.
• Related対顔たいがんWrittenWritten word for meeting face to face; rare today. Say 「対面」 or 「会う」 in daily life, and 「面会」 when visiting someone.
• Related相見るあいみるWrittenLiterary word for facing or meeting each other, with an archaic flavor; not used in modern speech—say 「会う」 or 「向かい合う」.
• Related訪いとぶらいWrittenOld-fashioned written word for calling on or visiting someone; rare today. Use 「訪問」 or 「見舞い」 instead.
• Antonym面会謝絶めんかいしゃぜつNeutralRefusing visitors, seen on signs at hospital room doors; the opposite of 「面会」, which means receiving visitors.

Use 「面会」 for an arranged visit to see someone at a hospital, prison, office or the like. For a press conference say 「会見」, for a consultation 「面談」, for a job interview 「面接」, for everyday meetings 「会う」 or casual 「顔を合わせる」, and for humbly meeting a superior 「お目にかかる」. 「謁見」 and 「拝謁」 are audiences with royalty; 「会談」 is formal talks; 「訪問」 is visiting someone's place. 「面会謝絶」 means no visitors. Words like 「面晤」, 「会遇」 and 「対顔」 are rare written terms.

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

1. 人ひとと会あうこと。病院びょういんや刑務所けいむしょなどでの使用しようが多おおい。