共感(きょうかん)

きょうかん
noun
empathy; sympathy
emotioncommunication
1. empathy; sympathy; resonance
The ability to understand and share the feelings of another; feeling connected to others' emotions or views.
彼女(かのじょ)の意見(いけん)に共感(きょうかん)する。
Her opinion resonates with me.
この映画(えいが)は多(おお)くの人(ひと)の共感(きょうかん)を呼(よ)んだ。
This movie resonated with many people.
共感(きょうかん)能力(のうりょく)が高(たか)い人(ひと)は相手(あいて)の気持(きも)ちがわかる。
People with high empathy can understand others' feelings.

Common collocations

  • 〜に共感(きょうかん)する: to relate to, to agree with and feel for ~
  • 共感(きょうかん)を呼(よ)ぶ: to strike a chord with people
  • 共感(きょうかん)を得(え)る: to win people's sympathy and agreement
  • 共感(きょうかん)力(りょく): empathy, the ability to empathize

Similar words

  • 同情(どうじょう): sympathy, pity for someone in trouble; it looks at the other person from outside and can sound condescending. 共感(きょうかん) is feeling the same way, from the inside.

Watch out

  • 共感(きょうかん) covers agreeing with an idea as well as sharing a feeling, so 意見(いけん)に共感(きょうかん)する means "I relate to that view", not "I pity it".

Related Words

Compare: 同情(どうじょう) (sympathy, pity)
Synonym: 同感(どうかん) (agreement, same feeling)
Related: もらい泣(な)き (sympathetic crying)
Compare: 思(おも)いやり (consideration, thoughtfulness)
general
Added 2026.1.31 8:10 · Revised 2026.9.30 2:25
09000/09050_kyoukan