Translation guide
How to express the idea of a 'first meeting' in Japanese, covering the event itself, the initial encounter, and related expressions.
Referring to the occasion or fact of meeting someone for the first time.
The most common and natural way to say 'meet for the first time'. Used in everyday conversation.
彼に初めて会ったのは去年です。
I first met him last year.
I was very nervous when we first met.
Literally 'first face-to-face meeting'. Slightly more formal, often used in introductions or when meeting someone in person for the first time.
初対面の相手と話すのは緊張します。
I get nervous talking to someone I'm meeting for the first time.
Used for a first meeting between groups or families, such as before a wedding. Implies a formal introduction.
両家の初顔合わせが来週あります。
The first meeting between the two families is next week.
Referring to an organized first meeting, such as a club, committee, or project kickoff.
Standard term for the first meeting of a series. '初回' means 'first time/instance'.
初回の会合は来週の水曜日です。
The first meeting is next Wednesday.
Casual, using the loanword 'meeting'. Common in business or informal contexts.
最初のミーティングで自己紹介をしましょう。
Let's introduce ourselves at the first meeting.
A more concise, slightly formal term for a first meeting. Often used in news or official contexts.
新委員会の初会合が開かれた。
The first meeting of the new committee was held.
Emphasizing the moment of first contact, often with a sense of fate or significance.
A poetic or emotional term for a first meeting, often implying a meaningful encounter. Used in contexts like romance or fate.
あの出会いが私の人生を変えました。
That first meeting changed my life.
A literary or formal word for a chance meeting or unexpected encounter. Rare in everyday speech.
「初めて会う」 is a verb phrase meaning 'to meet for the first time' and is very common. 「初対面」 is a noun meaning 'first face-to-face meeting' and is slightly more formal. Use 「初対面」 when emphasizing the in-person aspect or in introductions.
初めて会った人とすぐに友達になった。
I quickly became friends with the person I met for the first time.
初対面の挨拶を交わす。
Exchange greetings at a first meeting.
Directly translating 'first meeting' as 「最初の会議」 can sound unnatural if you mean meeting a person. Use 「初めて会う」 for personal encounters and 「初回の会合」 for organized meetings.
初めて会った時のことを鮮明に覚えています。
I remember our first meeting vividly.
クラブの初回の集まりは金曜日です。
The first meeting of the club is on Friday.
運命的な邂逅だった。
It was a fateful encounter.