1.
community, collective, communal body
A group of people or nations bound together by shared interests, location, or purpose. Used for both small local communities and large international organizations.
地域共同体のつながりが薄れている。
Ties within the local community are weakening.
ヨーロッパ共同体はEUの前身だ。
The European Community was the predecessor of the EU.
国際共同体として気候変動に取り組む必要がある。
We need to tackle climate change as an international community.
Compound of 共同 (joint, communal) + 体 (body, organization). A somewhat formal term used in social, political, and academic contexts.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 地域共同体 (local community)
- 国際共同体 (international community)
- ヨーロッパ共同体 (European Community)
- 経済共同体 (economic community)
- 共同体意識 (sense of community)
DISTINCTIONS:
- 共同体: a formal, structured community bound by shared ties (political, social, or cultural)
- コミュニティ: a more casual loanword for community, used for both online and offline groups
- 社会: society in general, broader than 共同体