The Meaning of majiwaru [交わる] In Japanese

交わる
まじわる
Romaji: majiwaru N5

What does 交わる mean?

Translation and Meaning

to intersect, to cross; to come into contact with; to mingle with; to associate; to exchange ideas

Definition

What does 交わる mean? It means to come into contact or cross with something, and by extension to mingle with people or ideas; it applies to physical intersections as well as social or conceptual convergence.

Type

verb (godan)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • to intersect, as lines, roads, rivers
  • to come into contact with or mingle with others
  • to associate with a group or community
  • to exchange or share ideas in a discussion

Etymology

交 contributes the sense of crossing or exchanging; in this verb the kun reading まじ attaches to the verb ending わる to form a native Japanese verb meaning crossing or mingling.

Origin

Native to Japanese; attested in classical literature describing physical crossing as well as social interaction and metaphorical convergence, and common in everyday speech.

Composition

  • 交: cross, intersect, exchange
  • わる: verb-ending that forms an intransitive action

Usage

Used across formal and informal registers; in physical contexts it describes lines, paths, or borders crossing; socially it denotes interacting or mingling with others; in abstract contexts it signals convergence of ideas or events.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine two lines crossing at a junction where people mingle; the character 交 evokes crossing; remember by thinking ‘cross paths’ with others.

Variations

  • 接する (sessuru) — to come into contact
  • 会う (au) — to meet or interact
  • 重なる (kasanaru) — to overlap

Example Phrases

  • 路地で私と犬の視線が静かに交わる瞬間。
    Roji de watashi to inu no shisen ga shizuka ni majiwaru shunkan.
    In an alley, the moment when my gaze quietly intersects with the dog’s gaze.
    Lista:
    • 路地 (roji) – alley
    • で (de) – at
    • 私 (watashi) – I
    • と (to) – and
    • 犬 (inu) – dog
    • の (no) – of
    • 視線 (shisen) – gaze
    • が (ga) – (subject marker)
    • 静かに (shizuka ni) – quietly
    • 交わる (majiwaru) – intersect
    • 瞬間 (shunkan) – moment
    In this sentence, 「交わる」 is used intransitively to mean ‘to intersect’ or ‘to meet’, with the subject being 私と犬の「視線」; it describes two gazes crossing.
交わる