Definition
To meet or see someone, usually in person and by arrangement or chance.
Example
明日、駅で友達に会う予定です。
Show translation
I plan to meet my friend at the station tomorrow.
Etymology
From Old Japanese *au*, meaning to come together or join. The kanji 会 (also written 逢 in more literary or romantic contexts) carries the sense of assembly or encounter. The verb belongs to the Godan (Group I) conjugation class, with its -u ending dropping to -i- before certain suffixes (e.g., 会います, 会って).
Cultural note
In Japanese social culture, the act of meeting carries significant ritual weight — greetings upon meeting (お会いできて光栄です, "I am honored to meet you") and farewells are carefully calibrated to the relationship and setting. Note also that 会う is written with two different kanji depending on nuance: 会う is everyday and neutral, while 逢う (same reading) is literary and implies a longed-for or romantic reunion. Don't confuse 会う (to meet a person) with 合う (au, to match/fit) — a classic false-friend pair within Japanese itself.