1.
to step closer, to approach
To physically walk toward someone or something.
彼女がこちらに歩み寄ってきた。
She came walking toward me.
子どもが母親のそばに歩み寄った。
The child walked up to the mother.
見知らぬ男がゆっくりと歩み寄ってきたので緊張した。
I got nervous when a stranger slowly approached me.
2.
to compromise, to make concessions, to meet halfway
To adjust one's position or opinion to reach agreement. Often implies mutual effort from both sides to bridge differences.
お互いに歩み寄ることが大切だ。
It is important to meet each other halfway.
双方が歩み寄らなければ解決しない。
It won't be resolved unless both sides make concessions.
労使交渉で経営側がようやく歩み寄る姿勢を見せた。
In the labor-management negotiations, the management side finally showed a willingness to compromise.
USAGE:
A compound verb (歩む + 寄る). The figurative sense of compromising is the more common usage in modern Japanese. Conjugates as a godan verb: 歩み寄らない, 歩み寄ります, 歩み寄って.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- お互いに歩み寄る: to compromise with each other
- 歩み寄る姿勢: willingness to compromise
- 歩み寄りを見せる: to show willingness to compromise
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 妥協する: to compromise (more direct, can imply reluctant concession)
- 譲歩する: to make a concession (formal, one-sided yielding)