混じる

• Reading: まじる
• Romaji: majiru
• Kanji breakdown: 混 (kon/ma) — mix, mingle, muddle
• Pronunciation: /ma.dʑi.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To be mixed in; to mingle with. Something joining or blending into a group or mixture.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. Similar to 混ざる but often implies something entering or being found within a larger group: 白髪が混じる (grey hairs appear among dark hair), 外国人が混じる (foreigners are among the group), 雨に雪が混じる (snow is mixed with rain). The nuance is one element joining another.

Examples

1. 最近白髪が少し混じるようになった。 Lately, I've started getting a few gray hairs mixed in.
2. 大人に混じって子供もボランティアに参加した。 Children joined in alongside the adults to volunteer.
3. 雨に雪が混じって寒い一日だった。 Snow was mixed in with the rain, making it a cold day.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, descriptions, weather

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 混 (kon, to mix). The reading まじる is a classical Japanese native reading. Historically used to describe one element entering among others.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal