Quadruple VS
Synonym Boundary: "あいます", "会う", "出会う", "遭う"
All represent the core concept "meet", but require precise selection.
Japanese Option A
あいます
あいます (aimasu)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option B
会う
あう (au)
N5 / CEFR
Japanese Option C
出会う
であう (deau)
N3 / CEFR
Japanese Option D
遭う
あう (au)
N3 / CEFR
Quadruple VS Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
When expressing "meet" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "あいます", "会う", "出会う", "遭う" based on context.
- あいます (あいます (aimasu) - Level: N5): Maps to "to meet, to see (a person)" and is used when The polite form of 会う.
- 会う (あう (au) - Level: N5): Maps to "to meet" and is used when Used for meeting people. The particle is usually 「に」.
- 出会う (であう (deau) - Level: N3): Maps to "to meet (by chance); to encounter" and is used when Intransitive verb. Implies a chance encounter or meeting someone/something unexpectedly. Often used with に.
- 遭う (あう (au) - Level: N3): Maps to "to meet (an unpleasant situation); to encounter" and is used when Often used for encountering difficulties, accidents, or bad experiences. Rarely used for meeting people casually..
Context for "あいます"
週末に友達にあいます。
I meet my friend on the weekend.
Context for "会う"
明日、友達に会います。
I will meet my friend tomorrow.
Context for "出会う"
彼は駅で偶然、昔の友人と出会った。
He coincidentally met an old friend at the station.
Context for "遭う"
彼は交通事故に遭ってしまった。
He got into a traffic accident.
Synonym Mastery Challenge
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "週末に友達に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I meet my friend on the weekend.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "あいます" is correct here because it represents "to meet, to see (a person)" in the context: "I meet my friend on the weekend.".