synonym Comparative
出会う
VS
たまたま
Differences Between "出会う" and "たまたま"
Option A
出会う
Meaning
to meet (by chance); to encounter
Reading
であう (deau)
Syllabus Level
N3
Practical Example
彼は駅で偶然、昔の友人と出会った。
He coincidentally met an old friend at the station.
Option B
たまたま
Meaning
by chance, accidentally, unexpectedly
Reading
たまたま (tamatama)
Syllabus Level
N3
Practical Example
駅でたまたま昔の友達に会った。
I accidentally met an old friend at the station.
Which one to use?
Select the correct Japanese word for this context
Which word fits this context: "(to meet (by chance); to encounter)"?
🎉 正解 / Correct!
使い分け解説:
- 出会う: Intransitive verb. Implies a chance encounter or meeting someone/something unexpectedly. Often used with に (ni).
- たまたま: Used when something happens coincidentally or unexpectedly, often implying a slight element of surprise. Similar to 偶然 (gūzen), but たまたま often emphasizes the unexpectedness more. (偶然や思いがけない出来事を表す際に使われます。偶然よりも予期せぬニュアンスを含むことが多いです。)
- 出会う: Intransitive verb. Implies a chance encounter or meeting someone/something unexpectedly. Often used with に (ni).
- たまたま: Used when something happens coincidentally or unexpectedly, often implying a slight element of surprise. Similar to 偶然 (gūzen), but たまたま often emphasizes the unexpectedness more. (偶然や思いがけない出来事を表す際に使われます。偶然よりも予期せぬニュアンスを含むことが多いです。)
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