共 means “together, shared”

きょう · kyou

Also: both, neither, all

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

とも, ともに

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

キョウ

JLPT N3 · Taught in grade 4 · 6 strokes

The story

共 began as two hands raising something up together. It still means sharing: 共通 is what you have in common, 公共 belongs to everyone, and 共働き is a home where both partners work.

Used in 共通 (kyoutsuu, common/shared), 公共 (koukyou, public), and 共働き (tomobataraki, both partners working)

More from Ties & Differences

• 交 cross
• 側 side
• 違 differ
• 差 difference
• 横 side
• 雑 mixed
• 互 each other
• 似 resemble
• 緒 together
• 内 inside
• 相 mutual
• 関 connection

Learn 共 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.