見つける

• Reading: みつける
• Romaji: mitsukeru
• Kanji breakdown: 見 (ken/mi) — see, look; eye (目) on legs (儿)
• Pronunciation: /mi.t͡sɯ.ke.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To find; to discover. Used when successfully locating something after searching or by chance.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb conjugated by dropping る (見つけない, 見つけます, 見つけた). Represents the successful result of searching — the moment of discovery. Often paired with 探す in narratives: first you search (探す), then you find (見つける).

Examples

1. やっと鍵を見つけました。 I finally found my keys.
2. 公園できれいな花を見つけた。 I found a beautiful flower in the park.
3. いい仕事を見つけるのは大変です。 It's tough to find a good job.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, work, exploration

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 見 (mi, to see/look) and つける (tsukeru, to attach/fix upon). The combination conveys fixing one's eyes upon something — spotting and identifying it.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal