協力

• Reading: きょうりょく
• Romaji: kyouryoku
• Kanji breakdown: 協 (kyou) — to cooperate, together; 力 (ryoku) — power, strength
• Pronunciation: /kʲoː.ɾʲo.kɯ/

Meaning

Cooperation; collaboration; help; support. Working together toward a common goal.

A noun that can function as a suru-verb (協力する, intransitive). 協力 emphasizes mutual effort and teamwork, making it one of the most valued social concepts in Japan. Common collocations include ご協力 (your cooperation, polite), 協力関係 (cooperative relationship), and 国際協力 (international cooperation).

Examples

1. みんなの協力のおかげで成功した。 We succeeded thanks to everyone's cooperation.
2. ご協力をお願いいたします。 We appreciate your cooperation.
3. 二つの会社が協力して新商品を開発した。 Two companies collaborated to develop a new product.

Usage Guide

Context: work, community, daily life

Tone: positive

Origin & History

Composed of 協 (to cooperate, together) and 力 (power, strength). Together they mean combined strength — cooperation.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal