共感

• Reading: きょうかん
• Romaji: kyoukan
• Kanji breakdown: 共 (kyou) — together, shared; 感 (kan) — feeling, emotion
• Pronunciation: /kʲoː.kaɴ/

Meaning

Sympathy; empathy; resonance with another's feelings. Sharing in someone's emotional experience.

A noun (also used as a suru verb) describing the act of emotionally connecting with others' experiences. Increasingly used in modern contexts like social media (共感する = to relate to) and psychology. Distinguished from 同情 (sympathy with a hint of pity), 共感 implies understanding at an equal level.

Examples

1. この映画のメッセージに深く共感した。 The message of this film really resonated with me on a deep level.
2. SNSでは共感を呼ぶ投稿が人気を集める。 On social media, posts that people can relate to tend to get a lot of attention.
3. 相手の立場に立って共感することが大切だ。 It's important to put yourself in the other person's shoes and empathize with them.

Usage Guide

Context: psychology, social media, interpersonal

Tone: positive

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 共 (kyou, together/shared) + 感 (kan, feeling). Literally 'shared feeling' — experiencing emotions alongside another person.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal