似に合あい

に

あ

い

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', noun

Often used for couples or pairs that look good together, but also for things that suit a person or situation. The 'no' adjective form is common (似合いの).

あの二人ふたりは本ほん

当とう

に

似に

合あ

い

の

夫ふう

婦ふ

だ

。

Those two are a really well-matched couple.

彼かの女じょにはそのドレスがとても似に合あいだ。

That dress really suits her.

Usage patterns

似に合あいの〈人ひと〉a well-matched (person/pair)
あの二人ふたりは似に合あいの夫ふう婦ふだ。
Those two make a well-matched couple.
〈人ひと〉と〈人ひと〉は似に合あいだX and Y are a good match for each other
彼かれと彼かの女じょは本ほん当とうに似に合あいだと思おもう。
I think he and she really suit each other.

Kanji

似becoming, resemble, counterfeit
合fit, suit, join

Related words

ふさわしいN2
似合い is used mainly of pairs or things that visually go well together, while 相応しい is a broader i-adjective meaning 'appropriate/fitting' for status, occasion, or role.
好こう一いっ対つい
似合い is common everyday phrasing for a well-matched pair, whereas 好一対 is a more literary, set phrase specifically for a couple who complement each other perfectly.
映うつり
似合い describes something suiting or matching well (like clothes), while 写り in this sense describes how well colors or styles blend or coordinate visually.

Don't confuse with

似に合あうN4
似合い is the noun/adjectival form used with の (似合いの二人), while 似合う is the verb meaning 'to suit/look good on', and learners often mix up which form to use in a sentence.

Word family

お似に合あい
well-matched; becoming; suitable
不ふ似に合あい
unbecoming; unsuitable; ill-matched

Etymology

Noun form of the verb 似合う (にあう), from 似る (to resemble) + 合う (to match).