出くわす

• Reading: でくわす
• Romaji: dekuwasu
• Kanji breakdown: 出 (de/shutsu) — emerge, come out
• Pronunciation: /de.kɯ.wa.sɯ/

Meaning

To run into; to come across unexpectedly; to encounter by chance.

A Group 1 (godan) verb written with 出 (de — to come out) + くわす (kuwasu — a dialectal form meaning to come upon, related to 食わす). 出くわす is consistently used for chance encounters — with people, situations, or events — that were not anticipated. It is more colloquial and informal than the literary 遭遇する (sōgū suru) and is the natural choice in spoken and written narrative Japanese.

Examples

1. 帰り道で偶然、十年ぶりに小学校の恩師に出くわした。 On my way home, I unexpectedly ran into my primary school teacher for the first time in ten years.
2. 山道を歩いていたら、突然大きな熊に出くわして肝を冷やした。 While walking along a mountain path, I suddenly came across a large bear and my blood ran cold.
3. 取材中に予想外の事件に出くわし、記者は急いで録音を始めた。 During the interview, the reporter unexpectedly encountered an unforeseen incident and hurriedly began recording.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, narrative, travel, journalism

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 出る (deru — to come out) + くわす (kuwasu — a classical auxiliary verb meaning to meet, encounter). The construction suggests 'coming out and meeting' something unexpectedly.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal