The Meaning of kyōtsū [共通] In Japanese

共通
きょうつう
Romaji: kyōtsū N4

What does 共通 mean?

Translation and Meaning

common, shared, mutual

Definition

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.

Type

noun, used as a na-adjective when modifying nouns (共通の)

Stroke Order

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

Etymology

共 kyō + 通 tsū → kyōtsū, illustrating how the two on’yomi readings fuse to produce the pronunciation of the compound.

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

Usage

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…).
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: imagine two people sharing one path under a sign that says 共 and 通; the first character represents sharing, and the second represents connection through the path, together signaling something that is in common.

Variations

  • 同一性 (dōitsusei) — sameness
  • 一致 (icchi) — agreement, consistency
  • 共有 (kyōyū) — shared ownership
  • 異なる (kotonaru) — different, antonym

Example Phrases

  • 私たちは 共通の趣味で すぐに 友達になり 話が盛り上がった。
    Watashitachi wa kyoutsuu no shumi de sugu ni tomodachi ni nari, hanashi ga moriagatta.
    We quickly became friends through our common hobby, and the conversation got lively.
    Lista:
    • 私たちは (watashitachi wa) – we
    • 共通の趣味で (kyoutsuu no shumi de) – through our common hobby
    • すぐに (sugu ni) – quickly
    • 友達になり (tomodachi ni nari) – to become friends
    • 話が盛り上がった (hanashi ga moriagatta) – the conversation got lively
    The target word 「共通」 means ‘common’; here it forms the phrase 「共通の趣味」 meaning ‘shared hobby’, and 「で」 marks the means.
共通