同性

• Reading: どうせい
• Romaji: dōsei
• Kanji breakdown: 同 (dō) — same, identical, together; 性 (sei) — sex, gender, nature
• Pronunciation: /doː.seː/

Meaning

Same sex; same gender. Used to describe people of the same biological sex or gender.

A noun used to indicate that two or more people share the same sex or gender. Commonly appears in compound expressions: 同性の友人 (a friend of the same sex), 同性婚 (same-sex marriage), 同性愛 (homosexuality). Functions as a no-adjective before nouns. A neutral, factual term used in both everyday and formal contexts. The antonym is 異性 (isei, opposite sex).

Examples

1. 同性の友人と旅行に行くのが好きだ。 I love traveling with friends of the same sex.
2. 同性婚を認める国が増えている。 More and more countries are recognizing same-sex marriage.
3. 同性同士でも気が合わないこともある。 Even people of the same sex don't always get along.

Usage Guide

Context: social topics, news, academic

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 同 (dō, same/identical) + 性 (sei, sex/gender/nature). A straightforward compound meaning 'same sex,' widely used as a neutral descriptor in modern Japanese.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal