集まる
atsumaru
Definition
To gather or come together in one place, as people or things.
Example
友達が公園に集まって楽しく遊んだ。
Show translation
Friends gathered at the park and had fun playing.
Etymology
From the verb root 集 (atsu-), meaning "to collect or accumulate," combined with the intransitive suffix まる (-maru), which indicates a state coming together naturally. Its transitive counterpart is 集める (atsumeru), "to collect/gather something." Both share the kanji 集, which itself depicts birds (隹) perching together in a tree (木) — a vivid ancient image of congregation.
Cultural note
Group gathering is a cornerstone of Japanese social life. The concept of 集まる appears in everything from neighbourhood festivals (祭り, matsuri) and school club meetings to seasonal customs like cherry-blossom viewing (花見, hanami), where people come together under the trees. The word also shows up in set phrases like 人が集まる場所 (hito ga atsumaru basho, "a place where people gather"), frequently used in travel writing and community announcements.