あつめる (集める): One Verb, Many Meanings (with Examples)
Why one verb has so many meanings
At first the translations of あつめる look like a small grab-bag — collect, gather, raise, attract. But there's one thread running through all of them: scattered things get pulled together into a single place.
Stamps spread across the world end up in one album (collect). Bits of news from everywhere land on one desk (gather information). Coins from many people pile into one fund (raise money). Even "attracting attention" is the same picture — lots of people's eyes all turning toward one thing. Hold that "pull the scattered into one spot" image and the list below stops feeling like separate words.
One structural note before the meanings: あつめる is the transitive verb (you do it to something — you gather them). It has an intransitive twin, あつまる ("things/people come together on their own"), which we'll compare at the end — it's a classic JLPT trap.
The meanings, most common first
1. To collect (集める)
ヤッタンは切手を集めている。
ヤッタンは きってを あつめて いる。
Yattan collects stamps.
A hobby you build up over time — note the ～ている for an ongoing habit.
2. To gather / round up things (集める)
モチは公園で落ち葉を集めた。
モチは こうえんで おちばを あつめた。
Mochi gathered fallen leaves in the park.
3. To gather information (情報を集める)
ヤッタンは試験のために情報を集めている。
ヤッタンは しけんの ために じょうほうを あつめて いる。
Yattan is gathering information for the exam.
情報を集める is a very common set phrase — learn the words as one chunk.
4. To raise / collect money (お金を集める)
先生はクラスでお金を集めた。
せんせいは クラスで おかねを あつめた。
Sensei collected money from the class.
5. To gather people together (人を集める)
ヤッタンは友だちを集めてパーティーをした。
ヤッタンは ともだちを あつめて パーティーを した。
Yattan gathered his friends together and had a party.
6. To attract attention (注目を集める)
ヤッタンの弟の作文は注目を集めた。
ヤッタンの おとうとの さくぶんは ちゅうもくを あつめた。
Yattan's little brother's essay attracted attention.
注目を集める = literally 'to gather attention' — a fixed phrase for 'to draw notice.'
7. To attract popularity (人気を集める)
その店は若い人の人気を集めている。
その みせは わかい ひとの にんきを あつめて いる。
That shop is winning popularity among young people.
人気を集める = to become popular / draw a following.
All of these are the same "pull the scattered into one spot" image. Whether it's stamps, leaves, news, coins, friends, or people's attention — あつめる is always you, on purpose, bringing many things into one place.
Common collocations worth memorizing
Some あつめる phrases are so fixed that natives treat them as single units. Learn these as chunks and you'll sound natural fast:
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 切手を集める | to collect stamps |
| 情報を集める | to gather information |
| お金を集める | to collect / raise money |
| 人を集める | to gather people |
| 注目を集める | to attract attention |
| 人気を集める | to win popularity |
| データを集める | to collect data |
Kanji & related verbs
The kanji is 集 ("to gather, to flock") — a picture of a bird (隹) sitting on a tree (木), i.e. birds flocking together. The same kanji shows up in everyday words like 集合 (しゅうごう, "meeting up") and 募集 (ぼしゅう, "recruitment"), so it's worth recognizing.
The important relative to flag is the intransitive partner, 集まる (あつまる). Same kanji, same core meaning of "coming together" — but a different actor, and it's even a different verb group. We compare them right below.
There's also a handy noun built from this family: 集まり (あつまり) = "a gathering / get-together / meeting." 今日の集まり = "today's gathering."
集める vs 集まる — the trap
These two are a transitive/intransitive pair, and the JLPT loves testing them. The difference is who's doing it — and watch out, they conjugate differently too:
| Form | Core idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 集める / あつめる (transitive, Group 2 ru-verb) | Someone deliberately brings things together | ヤッタンが人を集める = Yattan gathers people (he does it on purpose) |
| 集まる / あつまる (intransitive, Group 1 u-verb) | Things/people come together on their own | 人が集まる = people gather (they come together by themselves) |
A neat way to feel it: with 集める you can point to the person doing the gathering, and the things gathered take を (人を集める). With 集まる nobody is doing it to them — they just come together, so they take が (人が集まる, データが集まる). Same picture of "coming together," opposite direction of action.
Mind the conjugation, too: 集める is a ru-verb (集め-て, 集め-ない), while 集まる is a u-verb (集まっ-て, 集まら-ない) — don't mix the endings.
Quick recap
- One image powers them all: pull scattered things into one place.
- High-value chunks: 情報を集める, お金を集める, 注目を集める, 人気を集める.
- It's a transitive ru-verb; its partner 集まる is intransitive (and a u-verb).
- Transitive takes を (人を集める); intransitive takes が (人が集まる).
- Related noun: 集まり = a gathering / get-together.
Your turn
Ready to test your N5 vocabulary in context?
Start the 5-question drill →Frequently asked questions
Is 集める a ru-verb or u-verb?
集める (あつめる) is a Group 2 (ru-verb / ichidan) verb: 集め-る → 集め-ます, 集め-て, 集め-ない. It conjugates just like 食べる. Note that its partner 集まる is a Group 1 (u-verb).
What is the difference between 集める and 集まる?
集める is transitive — you bring things together on purpose, and they take を: 人を集める = to gather people. 集まる is intransitive — things come together on their own and take が: 人が集まる = people gather.
How do you say 'to collect stamps' in Japanese?
切手を集める (きってを あつめる). 集める is the all-purpose verb for collecting a set over time, whether it's stamps, cards, or data.
Can 集める mean to attract attention?
Yes. 注目を集める means 'to attract attention' and 人気を集める means 'to win popularity' — it's the same core image of gathering many things (here, people's eyes or favor) toward one place.