1.
the public, general public
The people in general, especially when considered as a group that uses shared facilities or services. Almost always used as a modifier before another noun.
Almost exclusively used as a compound modifier before another noun. Rarely appears on its own.
Common collocations
- 公衆トイレ (public restroom)
- 公衆電話 (public telephone, payphone)
- 公衆衛生 (public hygiene/health)
- 公衆浴場 (public bathhouse)
- 公衆道徳 (public morals)
- 公衆の面前 (in public, in front of everyone)
Similar words
- 公共: public (emphasizing communal ownership or service)
- 公衆: the public as people / for public use (often in compound nouns for shared facilities)
Related Words
Compare:
公共 (public)