逢瀬(おうせ)

おうせ
noun
tryst; secret rendezvous between lovers
formalliteraryemotion
1. tryst; secret meeting between lovers
A romantic meeting or rendezvous, especially one that is secret or clandestine. Carries a literary, poetic nuance.
二人(ふたり)は逢瀬(おうせ)を重(かさ)ねた。
The two met in secret again and again.
人目(ひとめ)を忍(しの)んで逢瀬(おうせ)を楽(たの)しんでいた。
They enjoyed their secret meetings away from prying eyes.
小説(しょうせつ)の主人公(しゅじんこう)たちは月明(つきあ)かりの下(もと)で逢瀬(おうせ)を果(は)たし、互(たが)いの想(おも)いを確(たし)かめ合(あ)った。
The protagonists of the novel had their rendezvous by moonlight and confirmed their feelings for each other.

Usage: 逢瀬(おうせ) is a literary and poetic word. It is rarely used in everyday conversation but appears frequently in novels, period dramas, and romantic literature. In casual speech, 密会(みっかい) (secret meeting) or simply デート would be used instead.

Common collocations

The kanji 逢(おう) means "to meet" (a more literary variant of 会(あ)う) and 瀬(せ) means "shallows" or "opportunity," giving the compound a sense of a fleeting, precious encounter.

Related Words

Compare: 密会(みっかい) (secret meeting (neutral/modern))
general
Added 2026.3.3 20:20 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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