出で会あい

で

あ

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 1,000

Meanings

noun

meeting; encounter; rendezvous

General term for meeting someone, whether planned or by chance. Can be used for romantic dates or casual get-togethers.

友とも達だちとの出で会あいはいつも楽たのしみだ。
I always look forward to meeting up with friends.
あのカフェで偶ぐう然ぜんの出で会あいがあった。
I had a chance encounter at that café.

noun

first meeting; coming across

Specifically refers to the first time one meets someone or encounters something. Often used in contexts like 'fateful first meeting' or 'first encounter with a new culture'.

彼かれとの出で会あいは忘わすれられない。
I'll never forget the first time I met him.
日に本ほん文ぶん化かとの出で会あいが私わたしの人じん生せいを変かえた。
My first encounter with Japanese culture changed my life.

noun

confluence

Only when written 出合い / 出合

Geographical term for the point where two rivers meet. Almost exclusively written as 出合い or 出合.

この町まちは二ふたつの川かわの出で合あいに位い置ちしている。
This town is located at the confluence of two rivers.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉と出で会あいがあるto have a chance meeting with someone
旅たび先さきでいい出で会あいがあった。
I had a nice encounter with someone while traveling.
出で会あいを求もとめるto seek out new encounters or relationships
彼かれは新あたらしい出で会あいを求もとめて旅たびに出でた。
He set out on a trip in search of new encounters.
運うん命めいの出で会あいa fateful encounter
それはまさに運うん命めいの出で会あいだった。
It was truly a fateful encounter.
〈物もの〉との出で会あいone's first encounter with something (a book, culture, etc.)
この本ほんとの出で会あいが私わたしの人じん生せいを変かえた。
My first encounter with this book changed my life.
出で会あいを大たい切せつにするto cherish an encounter or connection
一ひとつ一ひとつの出で会あいを大たい切せつにしたい。
I want to cherish each and every encounter.

Kanji

出exit, leave, go out
会meeting, meet, party
合fit, suit, join
逢meeting, tryst, date
遭encounter, meet, party

Related words

遭そう遇ぐうN1sense 1
出会い is a neutral, often positive word for meeting someone, while 遭遇 is more formal and typically used for encountering danger or unexpected trouble.
めぐり合あい sense 1
巡り合い emphasizes a fateful or destined meeting, whereas 出会い is the plain, general word for any meeting.
対たい面めんN1sense 1
対面 stresses meeting someone face-to-face in a formal or business setting, while 出会い is broader and can include chance or casual encounters.
会かい合ごうN3sense 1
会合 refers to an organized gathering or meeting, whereas 出会い usually describes a personal or chance encounter between individuals.
馴なれ初そめN1
出会い refers to a general encounter or first meeting between people, while 馴れ初め specifically means the story of how a couple began their romantic relationship.

Opposites

別わかれN3sense 1
出会い means the meeting or coming together with someone, while 別れ means the parting or separation from them.
すれ違ちがいN1
出会い means successfully meeting someone, the opposite of すれ違い's sense of failing to meet due to timing or location.

Counted with

回かいN4
Used when focusing on the number of times an encounter happens.

Word family

出で会あい頭がしら
the moment of meeting; the moment of running into each other; the moment of crossing paths
出で会あい厨ちゅう
person who uses meetups or social media to solicit sex
出で会あい系けい
online dating website; online dating service
出で会あいもの
seasonal ingredient pairing

Written forms

出で会あいUsage93%
Standard spelling for encounters and meetings, including first meetings. High frequency in news.
出で合あいUsage3%
Preferred spelling for the confluence of rivers or streams.
出で合あいUsage2%
Abbreviated spelling for confluence, less common than 出合い.
出で逢あいUsage1%
Often used for romantic or fateful encounters, emphasizing the emotional aspect of meeting someone.
出で会あいUsage1%
Abbreviated spelling, mostly seen in compounds or older texts.
出で遭あいUsage<1%
Rare spelling implying an unexpected or chance encounter, sometimes with a negative nuance.

Etymology

Noun form of the verb 出会う (であう), composed of 出る (でる, 'to go out') and 会う (あう, 'to meet'). The spelling 出逢い uses 逢う, which emphasizes a fateful or romantic meeting.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉と出で会あいがあるto have a chance meeting with someone

旅たび先さきでいい出で会あいがあった。

I had a nice encounter with someone while traveling.

出で会あいを求もとめるto seek out new encounters or relationships

彼かれは新あたらしい出で会あいを求もとめて旅たびに出でた。

He set out on a trip in search of new encounters.

運うん命めいの出で会あいa fateful encounter

それはまさに運うん命めいの出で会あいだった。

It was truly a fateful encounter.

〈物もの〉との出で会あいone's first encounter with something (a book, culture, etc.)

この本ほんとの出で会あいが私わたしの人じん生せいを変かえた。

My first encounter with this book changed my life.

出で会あいを大たい切せつにするto cherish an encounter or connection

一ひとつ一ひとつの出で会あいを大たい切せつにしたい。

I want to cherish each and every encounter.

Related words

遭そう遇ぐうN1sense 1
出会い is a neutral, often positive word for meeting someone, while 遭遇 is more formal and typically used for encountering danger or unexpected trouble.
めぐり合あい sense 1
巡り合い emphasizes a fateful or destined meeting, whereas 出会い is the plain, general word for any meeting.
対たい面めんN1sense 1
対面 stresses meeting someone face-to-face in a formal or business setting, while 出会い is broader and can include chance or casual encounters.
会かい合ごうN3sense 1
会合 refers to an organized gathering or meeting, whereas 出会い usually describes a personal or chance encounter between individuals.
馴なれ初そめN1
出会い refers to a general encounter or first meeting between people, while 馴れ初め specifically means the story of how a couple began their romantic relationship.

Word family

出で会あい頭がしら
the moment of meeting; the moment of running into each other; the moment of crossing paths
出で会あい厨ちゅう
person who uses meetups or social media to solicit sex
出で会あい系けい
online dating website; online dating service
出で会あいもの
seasonal ingredient pairing

Written forms

出で会あいUsage93%
Standard spelling for encounters and meetings, including first meetings. High frequency in news.
出で合あいUsage3%
Preferred spelling for the confluence of rivers or streams.
出で合あいUsage2%
Abbreviated spelling for confluence, less common than 出合い.
出で逢あいUsage1%
Often used for romantic or fateful encounters, emphasizing the emotional aspect of meeting someone.
出で会あいUsage1%
Abbreviated spelling, mostly seen in compounds or older texts.
出で遭あいUsage<1%
Rare spelling implying an unexpected or chance encounter, sometimes with a negative nuance.