会う
あう
au
= to meet / to encounter
Au is to meet — the verb that transforms strangers into acquaintances, enemies into allies, and possibilities into memories.
Au (会う, to meet) is to encounter or meet someone. The verb is neutral and versatile — you can meet friends (tomodachi to au), acquaintances, or by chance. Au implies face-to-face encounter. When combined with other verbs, it means “matching” or “being compatible” — iro ga au (colors match), kutsu ga au (shoes fit). The word also appears in atte (having met), the conditional, and awanai (not meeting), giving it grammatical richness beyond the basic meaning.
Au always implies direct, face-to-face encounter. For phone or video calls, use hanasu (speak/chat) or denwa suru (call), not au. Au yotei (scheduled to meet) is a fixed phrase. Awanakute mo ii (we do not need to meet) signals acceptance of distance. The verb fits naturally into invitations, proposals, and scheduling conversations.
EXAMPLE 1
友達と明日、カフェで会う。
Tomodachi to ashita, kafe de au.
I will meet a friend at a cafe tomorrow.
EXAMPLE 2
この色は、その服と合わない。
Kono iro wa, sono fuku to awanai.
This color does not match that outfit.
EXAMPLE 3
駅で偶然、昔の友達に会った。
Eki de guuzen, mukashi no tomodachi ni atta.
I ran into an old friend by chance at the station.
Meeting carries social ritual in Japanese culture. Setting up yakusoku (appointment) to au (meet) is formal and intentional. The phrase atte hanasu (meet and talk) emphasizes the importance of face-to-face connection in resolving conflicts or building relationships. Digital communication cannot fully replace au in Japanese social logic.
In romance, dēto de au (meeting for a date) is a significant step. The movie genre koi (romance) almost always centers on characters who must overcome obstacles to au (meet) at a fateful moment — the meeting itself is the climax.
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