共 (Together) vs. 供 (Offer / Companion): The Tokyo Top Models Trick (きょう / とも)
共 (Together) and 供 (Offer/Child) share the exact same readings (きょう / とも). Learn how adding the person radical (亻) changes 共 into 供.
Look at 共 (Together / Both) and 供 (Offer / Companion): not only does 供 contain 共 on its right side, both kanjis have the exact same On'yomi (きょう) AND Kun'yomi (とも)!
Quick Comparison: 共 (Together) vs. 供 (Offer)
In Shibashi's Friends visual family, two _To_p _Mo_dels (とも) in To_kyo_ (きょう) star in both cards:
| Kanji & Meaning | Primary Readings (Bold = Primary) | Shibashi Visual Mnemonic Hook | Common Compound Word |
|---|---|---|---|
| 共 — Together | On: きょう Kun: とも |
Two _to_p _mo_dels (とも) traveling to To_kyo_ (きょう) = Together | 共同 (きょうどう) — cooperation, association... |
| 供 — Offer | On: きょう Kun: とも |
Person (亻) + 共 = top models Offering help to a person (供 / 子供) | 子供 (こども) — child, children |
Illustrated Kanji Flashcards(Tap Readings for Audio)
In 共 (きょう / とも — Together), two _to_p _mo_dels (とも) travel to To_kyo_ (きょう) *together* (as in 共通 common/shared and 共に together). When a depressed person (亻) appears on the left of 共, those two To_kyo_ (きょう) _to_p _mo_dels (とも) kindly *offer* him a drink: 供 (Offer / Companion) (as in 子供 child and 提供 offer/sponsor)!
Essential Japanese Vocabulary Words Using 共 / 供
Once you can recognize 共 (Together) and 供 (Offer) individually, lock them into your active reading vocabulary with these high-frequency Japanese words from the Shibashi app:
| Japanese Word | Hiragana Reading | English Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 共同 | きょうどう | cooperation, association, collaboration, joint | JLPT |
| 共に | ともに | sharing with, participate in | JLPT |
| 共通 | きょうつう | commonness, community | JLPT |
| 子供 | こども | child, children | JLPT |
5-Second Memory Summary: How to Never Mix Up 共 & 供 Again
共 alone = Together (とも / きょう). 亻 (person) + 共 = serving/offering to a person = Offer / Companion (供).
