The Meaning of mukae [迎え] In Japanese

迎え
むかえ
Romaji: mukae N5

What does 迎え mean?

Translation and Meaning

welcome, meeting, pickup, reception

Definition

迎え means the act of meeting or welcoming someone, especially upon arrival, and is used as a noun in everyday and formal language.

Type

noun (名詞); used as the noun form of 迎える, and as part of phrases like 迎えに行く, 出迎え

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • the act of greeting or meeting someone upon arrival
  • the reception or welcome given to a guest or at an event
  • the noun form used for a meeting arrangement or pickup, as in 迎えに行く

Etymology

Kanji etymology: 迎 is a phono-semantic character; the radical 辶 signals movement, while the right-side component conveys the notion of approaching or facing. The on’yomi reading is ゲイ and the kun’yomi is むか-える. The noun 迎え is formed from the verb 迎える by turning the verb stem into a noun with the suffix え.

Composition

  • 迎: the core meaning is to meet or welcome; the radical 辶 denotes movement toward someone, reflecting the action of approaching to greet; the combination yields the concept of moving toward someone to greet them and formalize a reception
  • え: noun-form suffix turning the verb 迎える into the noun 迎え, representing the act or process of meeting or welcoming

Usage

Used in both formal and casual speech to describe meeting someone, welcoming guests, or the act of going to pick someone up. Common expressions include 空港での出迎え, 誰かを迎えに行く, 迎え入れる; these show how 迎え functions in different social and linguistic contexts.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture a person walking along a path (辶) toward a friend with the intention to greet — they lift their face to meet them, hence 迎える becomes 迎え.

Variations

  • 出迎え (でむかえ) demukae — direct arrival greeting
  • 歓迎 (かんげい) kangei — reception, warm welcome
  • 見送る (みおくる) miokuru — to see off, antonym

Example Phrases

  • 坂を下って家に着くと、母が迎えに来た。
    Saka o kudatte ie ni tsuku to, haha ga mukae ni kita.
    When I got home after going down the slope, my mother came to pick me up.
    Lista:
    • 坂を下って (saka o kudatte) – down the slope
    • 家に着くと (ie ni tsuku to) – when I arrive home
    • 母が (haha ga) – my mother
    • 迎えに (mukae ni) – to pick up
    • 来た (kita) – came
    Core: 「坂」 means slope. In 「坂を下って」, the noun 「坂」 is the object of 下る marked by を; 下って is the te-form that links actions, and と marks ‘when’.
  • 自動で洗濯機が回る音を聞きながら朝を迎えた。
    jidou de sentakuki ga mawaru oto o kikinagara asa o mukaeta.
    I woke up to the sound of the washing machine turning automatically.
    Lista:
    • 自動 (jidou) – automatic
    • で (de) – by
    • 洗濯機 (sentakuki) – washing machine
    • が (ga) – (subject marker)
    • 回る (mawaru) – to turn
    • 音 (oto) – sound
    • を (o) – (object marker)
    • 聞きながら (kikinagara) – while listening
    • 朝 (asa) – morning
    • を (o) – (object marker)
    • 迎えた (mukaeta) – greeted
    The word 「自動」 here forms 自動で to mean ‘automatically’, modifying the verb, indicating manner.
  • 電車を待っていると、すると友達が迎えに来た。
    Densha o matte iru to, suruto tomodachi ga mukae ni kita.
    While I was waiting for the train, my friend came to pick me up.
    Lista:
    • 電車 (densha) – train
    • を (o) – direct object particle
    • 待っている (matte iru) – waiting
    • と (to) – when
    • すると (suruto) – and then
    • 友達 (tomodachi) – friend
    • が (ga) – subject particle
    • 迎えに (mukae ni) – to pick up
    • 来た (kita) – came
    Use of 「すると」 to indicate an immediate consequence after a situation; here it links the waiting for the train to the friend arriving. 「すると」 expresses the ‘and then’ nuance.
  • 応接室 の 椅子に 座る 来客を 迎える
    Ousetsushitsu no isu ni suwaru raikyaku o mukaeru
    Greet the guests who are sitting on the chair in the reception room.
    Lista:
    • 応接室 (ousetsushitsu) – reception room
    • の (no) – of
    • 椅子に (isu ni) – to the chair
    • 座る (suwaru) – sit
    • 来客を (raikyaku o) – guests (object marker)
    • 迎える (mukaeru) – greet
    The sentence uses 「応接室」 to indicate the reception area, setting the scene for greeting guests.
  • 駅で友達を迎えに行く予定です。
    Eki de tomodachi o mukae ni iku yotei desu.
    I’m planning to go to the station to pick up my friend.
    Lista:
    • 駅で (eki de) – at the station
    • 友達を (tomodachi o) – my friend
    • 迎えに (mukae ni) – to pick up
    • 行く (iku) – go
    • 予定です (yotei desu) – plan
    In this sentence, 「迎え」 with に forms 迎えに行く, meaning ‘to go to pick someone up’.
迎え