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Kanji Homophone Battle

Pronunciation Trap: "あう (au)"

Same sound, completely different Kanji! Choose the right conceptual writing.

Kanji Option A

会う

あう (au)
N5 / CEFR
VS
Kanji Option B

遭う

あう (au)
N3 / CEFR

Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference

In Japanese, many words share the exact same pronunciation "あう (au)" but are written with different Kanji, changing the meaning entirely.
  • 会う (Level: N5): Translates to "to meet" and is used when Used for meeting people. The particle is usually 「に」.
  • 遭う (Level: N3): Maps to "to meet (an unpleasant situation); to encounter" and carries the nuance of Often used for encountering difficulties, accidents, or bad experiences. Rarely used for meeting people casually..
Mixing these up can easily result in unnatural writing. Look at the bilingual context cards below to master the conceptual boundaries!
Bilingual Context for "会う"
明日、友達に会います。
I will meet my friend tomorrow.
Bilingual Context for "遭う"
彼は交通事故に遭ってしまった。
He got into a traffic accident.

Kanji Selection Quiz

Which Kanji perfectly fits this blank space?

Which Kanji perfectly fits the blank: "明日、友達に会います。" (Meaning: "I will meet my friend tomorrow.")
🎉 Correct Answer!

Correct! "会う" is used for "to meet" in the context: "I will meet my friend tomorrow.".

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