Word
共通
Meaning in Englishcommon, shared, mutual
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
What does 共通 mean? It denotes something shared or common to two or more items or people. In Japanese usage it frames traits, objectives, or properties that are held by a group and relevant across contexts, such as shared goals, points of similarity, or collective understandings.
Main meanings
- Shared by multiple items or people in a group
- In mathematics or logic, the element or attribute that is common to several sets or concepts
- Describing features, norms, or understandings that are generally held within a community or domain
How to use it
Used in formal and written contexts to express shared attributes, such as 共通の目的, 共通の理解; in everyday speech it explains similarities across items, groups, or ideas. It commonly appears with の when modifying a noun (共通の…).
Variants and close terms
- 同一性 (dōitsusei) — sameness
- 一致 (icchi) — agreement, consistency
- 共有 (kyōyū) — shared ownership
- 異なる (kotonaru) — different, antonym
Composition
- 共: shared, together; common
- 通: to pass through, to connect; used in compounds to convey throughness or connectivity, contributing to the sense of something that is shared or common
Etymology
共 kyō + 通 tsū → kyōtsū, illustrating how the two on'yomi readings fuse to produce the pronunciation of the compound.
Word class
noun, used as a na-adjective when modifying nouns (共通の)
Related words by kanji and components
N3
共同
kyoudou
cooperation, collaboration, joint work
N3
通過
tsuuka
passing through, transit
N3
通学
tsuugaku
commuting to school
N3
通勤
tsuukin
commuting to work
N3
通行
tsuukou
passage, traffic, circulation
N3
通じる
tsuujiru
communicate, be understood, lead to
N3
通信
tsuushin
communication, transmission
N3
通知
tsuuchi
notification, notice
N3
通帳
tsuuchou
bankbook, passbook