The Meaning of kyōdō [共同] In Japanese

共同
きょうどう
Romaji: kyōdō N3

What does 共同 mean?

Translation and Meaning

joint, common, shared, cooperative

Definition

共同 means joint, shared, or cooperative; it describes actions, properties, or arrangements that involve multiple parties working together or sharing a common purpose. In usage, it frames collaborative efforts and collective ownership rather than individual action.

Type

Noun (na-adjective) (共同の)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • joint action or enterprise involving two or more parties
  • shared ownership, responsibility, or purpose across people or groups
  • forms part of compound nouns describing collective or cooperative concepts (for example, 共同体, 共同研究)

Origin

Origin and historical usage: The term is a native Japanese compound using kanji; its use is attested in classical and modern texts to describe joint actions, shared resources, and collaborative efforts.

Composition

  • 共 = together, mutual
  • 同 = same; when combined, express doing something jointly or for a shared purpose

Usage

Used in formal writing and everyday language; appears in compounds to denote cooperation or shared purpose such as 共同研究, 共同作業, and 共同声明. It can modify nouns as 共同の to mean ‘joint’ or ‘collective’ and is more formal than casual alternatives like 協力 or 一緒に.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: visualize two people sharing the same goal, each stepping forward together — the ‘co-‘ in共同 sounds like ‘co’ in ‘cooperate’ and both kanji invoke joining and sameness.

Variations

  • 協同 (kyōdō) – collaboration, joint effort
  • 協力 (kyōryoku) – cooperation, assistance
  • 共通 (kyōtsū) – common, shared
  • 共同体 (kyōdōtai) – community, collective

Example Phrases

  • 私たちは 共同で 新しい 地域の 祭りを 一緒に 企画します。
    Watashitachi wa kyoudou de atarashii chiiki no matsuri o issho ni kikaku shimasu.
    We will jointly plan a new regional festival.
    Lista:
    • 私たちは (watashitachi wa) – we
    • 共同で (kyoudou de) – jointly
    • 新しい (atarashii) – new
    • 地域の (chiiki no) – regional
    • 祭りを (matsuri o) – festival
    • 一緒に (issho ni) – together
    • 企画します (kikaku shimasu) – will plan
    Here, 「共同」 means ‘joint, in cooperation’ and is used with で to indicate doing something together.
共同