公こう衆しゅう

こ

う

しゅ

う

Common wordJLPTN2Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

the public; general public

Refers to people in general, often used in formal or official contexts like public health, public facilities, or public morals.

公こう衆しゅうの面めん前ぜんで演えん説ぜつする

の

は

緊きん

張ちょう

する

。

I get nervous giving a speech in front of the public.

公こう衆しゅう衛えい生せいは重じゅう要ような社しゃ会かい課か題だいだ。

Public health is an important social issue.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉を公こう衆しゅうに開かい放ほうするto open a place to the public
この庭てい園えんは公こう衆しゅうに開かい放ほうされている。
This garden is open to the public.
公こう衆しゅうの面めん前ぜんで〈動どう詞し〉to do something in front of the public / in public view
彼かれは公こう衆しゅうの面めん前ぜんで謝しゃ罪ざいした。
He apologized in front of the public.
公こう衆しゅうに訴うったえるto appeal to the public
政せい治じ家かは公こう衆しゅうに訴うったえるスピーチを行おこなった。
The politician gave a speech appealing to the public.

Kanji

公public, prince, official
衆masses, great numbers, multitude

Related words

大たい衆しゅうN1
大衆 refers to the common masses, often with a cultural or populist nuance (大衆文化), while 公衆 is the more formal, civic term used in official contexts like public health or public facilities.
世せ間けんN3
世間 means society or the people around you, emphasizing social norms and gossip, whereas 公衆 is a formal, impersonal term for the public as a collective body.
民みん衆しゅうN1
民衆 highlights ordinary citizens as opposed to rulers or authorities, carrying a political tone, while 公衆 is neutral and used for civic/administrative contexts.
人ひと前まえN1
公衆 means 'the public' as a collective, abstract group, while 人前 focuses on the concrete presence of other people who can see or hear you.

Opposites

個こ人じんN3
個人 means an individual person, the direct opposite of 公衆, which refers to people collectively as a group.

Don't confuse with

公こう共きょうN2
公共 is an adjectival noun describing things belonging to or used by everyone (公共施設 'public facility'), while 公衆 refers to the people themselves as a collective.

Word family· 16

Etymology

Compound of 公 (public) and 衆 (multitude, people). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning 'the public'.

えい

生せい

public health; public hygiene; sanitation

公こう衆しゅう道どう徳とく

public morals

Show 5 more

公こう衆しゅう電でん話わ
public telephone; pay phone
公こう衆しゅうトイレ
public toilet; public restroom
公こう衆しゅうブース
public booth; public kiosk
公こう衆しゅう回かい線せん網もう
public network
公こう衆しゅう衛えい生せい学がく
public health studies; public health science

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