1.
tryst; secret meeting between lovers
A romantic meeting or rendezvous, especially one that is secret or clandestine. Carries a literary, poetic nuance.
二人は逢瀬を重ねた。
The two met in secret again and again.
人目を忍んで逢瀬を楽しんでいた。
They enjoyed their secret meetings away from prying eyes.
小説の主人公たちは月明かりの下で逢瀬を果たし、互いの想いを確かめ合った。
The protagonists of the novel had their rendezvous by moonlight and confirmed their feelings for each other.
USAGE: 逢瀬 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 (secret meeting) or simply デート would be used instead.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 逢瀬を重ねる (to meet in secret repeatedly)
- 逢瀬を楽しむ (to enjoy a tryst)
- 逢瀬を果たす (to carry out a rendezvous)
- 人目を忍んで逢瀬を... (to meet secretly away from prying eyes)
The kanji 逢 means "to meet" (a more literary variant of 会う) and 瀬 means "shallows" or "opportunity," giving the compound a sense of a fleeting, precious encounter.