共同体

• Reading: きょうどうたい
• Romaji: kyodotai
• Kanji breakdown: 共 (kyō/tomo) — together, mutual; 同 (dō/ona) — same, together; 体 (tai/karada) — body, group
• Pronunciation: /kʲoː.doː.tai/

Meaning

Community; a group of people sharing common interests, geography, identity, or purpose and functioning as a cohesive collective unit.

A sociological and philosophical noun for a cohesive collective, ranging from village communities to online groups, religious communes, and philosophical collectives. In academic discourse, it contrasts with 社会 (society, a broader and more abstract term). Ferdinand Tönnies' distinction between Gemeinschaft (community) and Gesellschaft (society) is canonically rendered as 共同体 vs 社会 in Japanese academic translation.

Examples

1. 伝統的な地域共同体が崩壊し、孤立した個人が増加しているという問題が深刻化している。 The collapse of traditional local communities and the resulting increase in isolated individuals is becoming a serious problem.
2. 宗教的な共同体の中では、個人の自由よりも集団の規範が優先されることがある。 Within religious communities, collective norms can sometimes take precedence over individual freedom.
3. インターネットの普及により、地理的制約を超えた新たな共同体が次々と生まれている。 With the spread of the internet, new communities unconstrained by geography are emerging one after another.

Usage Guide

Context: sociology, community, philosophy, politics

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 共 (together) + 同 (same) + 体 (body/group). A Meiji-era coinage used to translate the Western sociological concept of 'community,' particularly as articulated in Tönnies' Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adults

Social background: Universal