Explore 協 in words for working together and discussing shared matters. Connect each reading with a complete word and context.

The idea

協 has 8 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. Its common on-reading is きょう. Read 協力（きょうりょく）, 協会（きょうかい） and 協議（きょうぎ） as whole words.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingExample in context
協力きょうりょくWe worked together to solve the problem.
協会きょうかいShe works for a local association.
協議きょうぎThe two countries held discussions about trade.

Examples

  • 私わたしたちは協力きょうりょくして問題もんだいを解決かいけつしました。We worked together to solve the problem.
  • 皆みなさんの協力きょうりょくに感謝かんしゃします。Thank you everyone for your cooperation.
  • 彼女かのじょは地域ちいきの協会きょうかいで働はたらいています。She works for a local association.
  • 両国りょうこくは貿易ぼうえきについて協議きょうぎしました。The two countries held discussions about trade.
  • 私わたしたちは協力きょうりょくして公園こうえんを掃除そうじします。We work together to clean the park.
  • 会議かいぎで計画けいかくを協議きょうぎしています。They are discussing the plan at the meeting.

Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.

Watch out

協力 means cooperation, while 協議 means consultation or discussion; neither is interchangeable with the name of an organization, 協会. Do not confuse 協 with 力: 協 contains several 力-like parts.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 協力 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    きょうりょく

    協力 is きょうりょく: cooperation. 協力して describes working together.

  2. Write the reading of 協会 in hiragana.

    Show answer or example answer

    きょうかい

    協会 is きょうかい: an association, as in the local organization in the example.

  3. Choose the missing kanji: ＿議（きょうぎ）［協／力］.

    Show answer or example answer

    協

    協 completes 協議（きょうぎ）, consultation; the countries discuss trade.

Use it today

Write 協 using the diagram. Cover the table, read 協力 and 協会, then make a sentence with one of them.