合わせる

• Reading: あわせる
• Romaji: awaseru
• Kanji breakdown: 合 (ai/awa) — match, meet, combine
• Pronunciation: /a.wa.se.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To combine; to match; to adjust. To bring things together or into alignment.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb. Extremely versatile: 時間を合わせる (to synchronize time), 味を合わせる (to blend flavors), 目を合わせる (to make eye contact), 力を合わせる (to join forces). Also used in compounds like 問い合わせ (inquiry) and 打ち合わせ (meeting). One of the most productive verbs in Japanese.

Examples

1. みんなで力を合わせてこの問題を解決しよう。 Let's join forces and solve this problem together.
2. 時計の時間を合わせてください。 Please set your watch to the right time.
3. 相手の目を見て話を合わせた。 I looked into their eyes and went along with the conversation.

Usage Guide

Context: teamwork, daily life, cooking

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 合 (ai/awa, to match/meet) with the ichidan causative-like ending -seru. The transitive form of 合う — making things come together deliberately.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal