Translation guide
Expresses an unexpected or unplanned encounter with someone. Japanese often uses specific nouns or verbs depending on the nature of the meeting, and sometimes the idea is conveyed through adverbial phrases rather than a single word.
Describing a meeting that happens by chance, without prior arrangement.
A common and natural way to say 'chance meeting' as a noun phrase. 偶然 means 'coincidence' or 'chance', and 出会い means 'encounter'.
あのカフェでの偶然の出会いがきっかけで、私たちは友達になった。
That chance meeting at the café led to us becoming friends.
A literary or formal term for a chance meeting, often implying a fateful or significant encounter. Not used in everyday conversation.
彼との邂逅は運命的なものだった。
My encounter with him was fateful.
Describing the action of unexpectedly meeting someone, often in passing.
A very common and natural way to say 'run into someone by chance'. ばったり is an onomatopoeic adverb meaning 'unexpectedly' or 'suddenly', and 会う means 'to meet'.
昨日、駅で高校時代の友達にばったり会った。
Yesterday I ran into a friend from high school at the station.
Literally 'to meet by chance'. More straightforward than ばったり会う, but slightly less colloquial.
旅行先で偶然会った人と意気投合した。
I hit it off with someone I met by chance on my trip.
Means 'to happen to meet' or 'to encounter', often with a nuance of something unexpected or even unpleasant. Can be used for people or situations.
Referring to a chance meeting as a significant or memorable event, often with a positive or romantic nuance.
A noun meaning 'encounter' or 'meeting', often used in contexts like romantic meetings or fateful encounters. It can imply a chance meeting, but not always; context clarifies.
この映画は、運命的な出会いを描いたラブストーリーです。
This movie is a love story about a fateful encounter.
A poetic or literary term for a chance meeting, often implying that it was destined or after a long search. Used in songs and literature.
Both mean 'to meet by chance', but ばったり会う emphasizes the suddenness and unexpectedness of the encounter, often used in casual speech. 偶然会う is more neutral and can be used in both casual and slightly formal contexts.
Directly translating 'chance meeting' as チャンスミーティング would be unnatural and not understood. Use the expressions above instead.
I ran into my ex-boyfriend in town and it was awkward.
この曲は「めぐり逢い」というタイトルだ。
This song is titled 'Chance Meeting'.