見かける

• Reading: みかける
• Romaji: mikakeru
• Kanji breakdown: 見 (ken/mi) — see, look, view
• Pronunciation: /mi.ka.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To happen to see; to catch sight of; to notice. To see someone or something by chance.

A Group 2 (ichidan) transitive verb (見かけない, 見かけます). Implies an unplanned, casual sighting rather than deliberate observation. Common in daily conversation: 駅で見かけた (I spotted them at the station), 最近見かけない (I have not seen them lately). Related noun: 見かけ (appearance, outward look), as in 見かけによらない (not what they seem).

Examples

1. 昨日スーパーで田中さんを見かけた。 I spotted Tanaka at the supermarket yesterday.
2. 最近あの猫を見かけなくなった。 I haven't seen that cat around lately.
3. 駅前で珍しい鳥を見かけて写真を撮った。 I caught sight of a rare bird in front of the station and took a photo.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, conversation, observation

Tone: casual

Origin & History

Compound of 見 (mi, to see) and かける (to begin/happen to). Together, 'happening to see' — a spontaneous, unintended act of noticing. The かける auxiliary adds the nuance of chance occurrence.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal