LEARN + JAPANESE / 138 of 186 JLPT N3
Doing It Together 合う・同士
Add 合[あ]う to a verb stem to describe people doing the action to or with one another. 同士[どうし] attaches to nouns for people or things in the same relationship, group, or situation.
When we're in trouble, my friends and I help each other.
Common compounds include 話し合う, “discuss with one another,” 支え合う, “support each other,” and 分かち合う, “share with one another.” The action is reciprocal, so it normally involves two or more participants.
The two of them are coworkers at the same company.
同士 labels the relationship between members: 友達同士, “friends with each other”; 会社同士, “between companies.” Unlike 合う, it doesn’t form a verb or say what action they take.
In Real Life
At work, 話し合う is a natural way to propose discussing a problem together: まずチームで話し合いましょう, “Let’s discuss it as a team first.” 同士 is useful when describing a relationship, such as 学生同士で情報を交換する, “students exchange information with one another.”
Hint · 힌트
合う is part of a verb and adds reciprocity; 同士 follows a noun and names the relationship. Compare 助け合う, “help each other,” with 友達同士, “as friends / between friends.”
Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| to be in trouble | |
| friend | |
| to help | |
| to discuss together | |
| to support one another | |
| to share with one another | |
| two people | |
| same | |
| company | |
| coworker | |
| to exchange | |
| information | |
| relationship | |
| companion, teammate | |
| to cooperate | |
| opinion | |
| to understand | |
| to compete | |
| each other | |
| together |
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