1.
to meet face-to-face; to see each other in person
Describes meeting someone in person, often implying a direct encounter rather than a planned meeting. Can carry a nuance of awkwardness or inevitability when the encounter is unwanted.
毎朝隣の人と顔を合わせる。
I see my neighbor face-to-face every morning.
けんかした後で顔を合わせるのが気まずい。
It's awkward to see each other after a fight.
久しぶりに家族全員が顔を合わせて、にぎやかな食事になった。
The whole family got together for the first time in a while, and it was a lively meal.
USAGE:
A common set phrase for meeting someone in person. Unlike 会う, which simply means "to meet," 顔を合わせる emphasizes the face-to-face aspect and can imply an unplanned or unavoidable encounter.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 毎日顔を合わせる (to see each other every day)
- 顔を合わせるたびに (every time we meet)
- 顔を合わせにくい (hard to face someone)
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 顔を合わす: casual variant of the same expression
- 対面する: to meet face-to-face — more formal, typically for planned meetings