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居合わせる (いあわせる) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

居い合あわせる

い

あ

わ

せ

る

Common word

Meanings

1

ichidan verb, intransitive verb

happen to be present; be there by chance

Describes being at a place when something occurs, often unexpectedly. Implies coincidence rather than intention.

事じ故この瞬しゅん間かん、私わたしはその場ばに居い合あわせた。
I happened to be there at the moment of the accident.
彼かれはたまたまその会かい議

ぎ

に

居い

合あ

わせ

た

。

He happened to be present at the meeting by chance.

Written forms

居い合あわせるUsage77%
Standard kanji spelling; the most common written form.
いあわせるUsage10%
居合いあわせるUsage8%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant; not commonly used in modern writing.
居いあわせるUsage5%
search-only kanji form
Search-only variant with okurigana; rarely seen.

Kanji

居reside, to be, exist
合fit, suit, join

Similar words

居いる
居る simply means 'to be' or 'to exist' (animate). 居合わせる adds the nuance of being present by coincidence or at a particular event.
立たち会あう
立ち会う means 'to be present officially' or 'to witness', often with a sense of duty or formality. 居合わせる is more about accidental presence.

Etymology

Compound of 居る (iru, 'to be') + 合わせる (awaseru, 'to meet' or 'to coincide'). Literally 'to be there and meet (an event)', giving the sense of being present by chance.