共识

• Pinyin: gòng shí
• Hanzi breakdown: 共 = 廿 + 八 (collective/together); 识 = 讠(speech) + 戠 (to know; to distinguish) — shared knowledge through communication

Meaning

Consensus; common understanding. A point of agreement reached among multiple parties after discussion or negotiation.

Widely used in political, diplomatic, business, and academic contexts. Key collocations include 达成共识 (to reach consensus), 凝聚共识 (to build consensus), and 社会共识 (social consensus). In Chinese political discourse, 共识 often carries weight as a carefully negotiated outcome of high-level talks.

Examples

1. 经过三轮谈判，双方终于就核心议题达成了初步共识，为后续合作奠定了基础。 After three rounds of negotiations, the two sides finally reached a preliminary consensus on the core issues, laying the groundwork for further cooperation.
2. 在气候变化问题上，国际社会正努力凝聚更广泛的政治共识，推动实质性减排行动。 On climate change, the international community is working to build broader political consensus and push for meaningful emissions-reduction actions.
3. 学术界对该理论的某些基本前提尚未形成共识，争论仍在持续。 In academia, there is still no consensus on some of the theory's basic assumptions, and the debate continues.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, diplomacy, business, academic

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 双方已就贸易协定的框架条款达成共识，下一步将进入技术细节谈判。(Both sides have reached consensus on the framework terms of the trade agreement and will next move to negotiations on technical details.)
• 凝聚社会共识是推进重大改革的先决条件。(Building social consensus is a prerequisite for advancing major reforms.)

Don't Say

• 将'共识'用于个人之间的简单意见一致 — 共识 carries a formal, collective weight; for two people simply agreeing use 达成一致 or 意见相同 instead

Origin & History

共 (together; jointly) + 识 (knowledge; understanding; recognition). Together: a shared understanding.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Educated speakers