Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Meeting" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "meeting", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
打ち合わせ
うちあわせ (uchiawase)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
集会
しゅうかい (shūkai)
N3 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "meeting" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 打ち合わせ and 集会.
In Japanese, 打ち合わせ (うちあわせ (uchiawase)) is typically associated with "meeting, preliminary meeting, arrangement" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Refers to a preparatory or brief meeting to discuss details or make arrangements, often within a company. It's generally less formal than 会議.
On the other hand, 集会 (しゅうかい (shūkai)) maps to "meeting, assembly, gathering" (Syllabus Level: N3) and represents Usually refers to a formal or organized gathering of people for a specific purpose. A literal translation of "meeting" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "打ち合わせ"
明日のプレゼンテーションについて、少し打ち合わせをしましょう。
Let's have a brief meeting about tomorrow's presentation.
Bilingual Context for "集会"
学校の体育館で集会が開かれた。
A meeting was held in the school gym.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "明日のプレゼンテーションについて、少し ＿＿＿ をしましょう。" (Meaning: "Let's have a brief meeting about tomorrow's presentation.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "打ち合わせ" fits here because it means "meeting, preliminary meeting, arrangement" in the context of: "Let's have a brief meeting about tomorrow's presentation.". "集会" represents "meeting, assembly, gathering".