Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 の 同どう 志し someone's comrade (in a shared cause)
He was a comrade in the revolutionary movement.
同どう 志し を 集あつ める to gather comrades (for a cause)
She gathered comrades for the sake of reform.
同どう 志し として 〈 動どう 詞し 〉 to do something as a comrade / in solidarity
We fought together as comrades.
Kanji 志 intention, plan, resolve Related words 仲間 is the everyday word for companions or a group one belongs to, while 同志 carries ideological or political weight about shared beliefs.
盟友 stresses a sworn, formal alliance between two people, whereas 同志 more broadly refers to anyone sharing the same cause or ideals.
戦友 specifically means a comrade one fought alongside in battle, while 同志 applies to shared ideals in any context, not just combat.
同志 emphasizes shared ideals or political cause among members, while 同人 more broadly refers to people sharing an interest, hobby, or artistic pursuit.
同志 highlights comrades united by a cause or ideology, a more formal and narrower sense than the broad, casual 仲間たち .
Don't confuse with 同志 is a standalone noun for a comrade who shares one's ideals, while 同士 is a suffix meaning 'fellow (something)', as in 友達同士 (among friends).
同志 means a comrade who shares the same cause or goal, while 有志 means someone who voluntarily participates, and the two are easily confused because of the shared 志 kanji.
Word family association of kindred spirits
like-minded country; country sharing the same ideals
affection among kindred spirits; bonding; fellow feeling
companionable; comradely; like a close friend
family members; insiders; close associates
Etymology From Middle Chinese 同志 (duŋ t͡ɕiɪ), literally 'same will/aspiration'. The word has been used in Chinese and Japanese to denote people sharing common ideals.
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