A somewhat formal or literary word for something unremarkable, average, or lacking special qualities. Often used in written descriptions or critical contexts.
His talent does not go beyond the ordinary.
You cannot solve this problem with ordinary ideas.
Compound of 凡 (bon, 'mediocre, ordinary') and 常 (jō, 'usual, common'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common Sino-Japanese pattern for abstract qualities.