合コン

• Reading: ごうコン
• Romaji: gōkon
• Kanji breakdown: 合 (joint/together) + コン (from コンパ, party/gathering) → joint social gathering for dating
• Pronunciation: /ɡoː.ko.n/

Meaning

A group blind date or social mixer — an organized gathering where single men and women meet in a group setting to find potential partners.

合コン is a Japanese dating tradition where a group of single men and a group of single women meet at a restaurant or izakaya for drinks and conversation. Usually organized by one person from each side who knows the others, it's a low-pressure way to meet potential dates. While still popular, its prominence has somewhat declined with the rise of マッチングアプリ (dating apps).

Examples

1. 今週の金曜、合コンセッティングしたんだけど来ない？ I set up a mixer for this Friday — want to come?
2. 合コンで隣に座った人がめっちゃタイプだった。 The person sitting next to me at the mixer was totally my type.
3. 合コンより今はマッチングアプリの方が主流かも。 These days, dating apps might be more mainstream than mixers.

Usage Guide

Context: friends, university, young professionals

Tone: excited, social

Do Say

• 今度合コンあるんだけど、一緒に来ない？ (There's a mixer coming up — want to come?)
• 合コンで出会って結婚した人、結構いるよね。 (There are actually a lot of people who met at mixers and got married.)

Don't Say

• パートナーがいる人の前で「合コン行こう」は配慮に欠ける (Suggesting a mixer in front of someone who has a partner is inconsiderate)

Common Mistakes

• Thinking 合コン is a one-on-one blind date — it's always a group event, typically 3-5 people on each side

Origin & History

Abbreviation of 合同コンパ (gōdō konpa), meaning 'joint party.' コンパ is from German 'Kompanie' (company/gathering). A staple of Japanese university and young professional social culture since the 1980s.

Cultural Context

Era: 1980s university culture, still active today

Generation: Primarily 20s-30s, university students and young professionals

Social background: Mainstream social activity

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. A traditional dating method alongside modern マッチングアプリ.