見つかる

• Reading: みつかる
• Romaji: mitsukaru
• Kanji breakdown: 見 (ken/mi) — see, look, find
• Pronunciation: /mi.tsɯ.ka.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To be found; to be discovered; to turn up. The intransitive form describing something coming to light.

A Group 1 (godan) intransitive verb. The subject is the thing found — 鍵が見つかった (the key was found). The transitive pair is 見つける (mitsukeru, to find). Very common in everyday situations involving lost items, job hunting, and discoveries.

Examples

1. なくした財布がやっと見つかりました。 My lost wallet was finally found.
2. いい仕事が見つかるといいですね。 I hope you find a good job.
3. 隠れていたのに先生に見つかってしまった。 I was hiding, but the teacher found me.

Usage Guide

Context: lost items, job hunting, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Derived from 見つける (to find), with the intransitive suffix. The kanji 見 (see, look) is one of the most fundamental characters for perception.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal