The character 同 relates to same; together. Learn its readings together with whole words and see them in context.

The idea

Kanji may have native Japanese readings (kun) and readings borrowed through Chinese (on); learn a reading with its word. Learn complete words: 同じ (おなじ) means the same, and 同時 (どうじ) means the same time; simultaneously. 同 has 6 strokes; follow their order in the linked KanjiVG diagram.

Patterns to compare
Japanese wordReadingMeaning
同じおなじthe same
同時どうじthe same time; simultaneously
同級生どうきゅうせいa classmate

Examples

  • 私わたしたちは同おなじ本ほんを読よみます。We read the same book.
  • 二人ふたりは同おなじ電車でんしゃに乗のりました。The two of them took the same train.
  • 同時どうじに二人ふたりが話はなしました。The two people spoke at the same time.
  • 両方りょうほうのドアが同時どうじに開あきました。Both doors opened at the same time.
  • 同級生どうきゅうせいと学校がっこうへ行いきます。I go to school with a classmate.
  • 田中たなかさんは私わたしの同級生どうきゅうせいです。Tanaka is my classmate.

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

Watch out

Put a noun directly after 同じ: 同じ本, not 同じな本. 同時 refers to timing. Do not guess a word’s reading or meaning from the character alone: compare 同じ and 同時. Also compare the shapes of 同 and 向; they are different characters.

Try it yourself

  1. Write the reading of 同じ in hiragana.

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    おなじ

    同じ is read おなじ and means the same.

  2. Write the reading of 同時 in hiragana.

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    どうじ

    同時 is read どうじ and means the same time; simultaneously.

  3. Fill in the missing kanji: ＿級生（どうきゅうせい）.

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    同

    同 completes 同級生, read どうきゅうせい; the word means a classmate.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 同 from memory, read 同じ and 同時 aloud, and make a sentence with one of them.