1.
to come across, to run into
To meet someone or encounter something unexpectedly and by chance.
友だちに出くわした。
I ran into a friend.
駅で先生に出くわした。
I ran into my teacher at the station.
買い物の途中で偶然隣の人に出くわした。
I happened to run into my neighbor while shopping.
海外旅行で高校時代の同級生に出くわして驚いた。
I was surprised to run into a high school classmate while traveling abroad.
会社を休んで遊びに行ったら、上司に出くわしてしまった。
I took the day off work to go have fun, but I ran into my boss.
2.
to encounter (a situation)
To find oneself in an unexpected situation, often unpleasant.
大きな問題に出くわした。
I encountered a big problem.
旅行中に思わぬトラブルに出くわした。
I encountered unexpected trouble during my trip.
仕事で難しい場面に出くわすことがある。
I sometimes encounter difficult situations at work.
初めての海外で言葉が通じない場面に何度も出くわした。
On my first trip abroad, I repeatedly encountered situations where I couldn't make myself understood.
長い人生の中で、誰もが予想もしない出来事に出くわすものだ。
In a long life, everyone encounters events they never expected.
出くわす is an intransitive verb (自動詞) meaning to encounter unexpectedly.
COMPOUND STRUCTURE:
- 出る (to go out) + くわす (to encounter) → to go out and encounter
ASPECT (ている):
出くわしている is rare; the simple past 出くわした is more common.
COMMON PATTERNS:
- 偶然出くわす (come across by chance)
- ～に出くわす (run into~)
- トラブルに出くわす (encounter trouble)
- 思いがけず出くわす (unexpectedly run into)
NUANCE:
Implies an unexpected, unplanned encounter. Can be used for both pleasant surprises and awkward situations. More casual than 遭遇する.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 出会う: to meet, encounter (more neutral or positive)
- 遭遇する: to encounter (formal)
- 出くわす often implies surprise or coincidence
[Register: Casual to Neutral]