Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 9: 22/22

同士(どうし)

Fellow, With each other, Mutually, Between, Among, Together, With

Structure

Noun + 同士(どうし)
Noun + 同士(どうし) + の + Noun

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About 同士

同士(どうし) 'fellow' is a noun that may be used in the same way as a suffix. When used this way, it conveys things that are 'mutually (A)', 'fellow (A)', or '(A) together'.
To use 同士(どうし), attach it directly to the end of another noun, before expressing further information about that 'mutual' relationship. Alternatively, (noun + 同士(どうし) + の + noun) is also common, and expresses that noun (B) is a grouped form of noun (A).
  • これは弁護士(べんごし)同士(どうし)の話(はな)しなので勝手(かって)に入(はい)って来(こ)ないで下(くだ)さい。
    This is a conversation between lawyers, so please don't barge in.
  • 家族(かぞく)同士(どうし)で会話(かいわ)をするときはほとんど日本語(にほんご)です。
    When we talk between family members, we mostly use Japanese.
  • 彼(かれ)は友達(ともだち)同士(どうし)の約束(やくそく)を破(やぶ)った。
    He broke a promise that was made between friends.
  • お互(たが)い大人(おとな)同士(どうし)なんだから、落(お)ち着(つ)いて話(はな)し合(あ)おうよ。
    We are fellow adults, so let's calm down and talk about this.
同士(どうし) is used most often to express two different types of 'mutuality'. These are as follows:
種類(しゅるい) - Type. (A) is the same type as (B).
関係(かんけい) - Relationship. (A) shares the same relationship as (B).
  • あなたたちは本当(ほんとう)に似(に)たもの同士(どうし)ね。
    You guys are really similar (in personality).
  • それは兄弟(きょうだい)同士(どうし)の問題(もんだい)でしょ？私(わたし)を巻(ま)き込(こ)まないで。
    That is an issue between siblings, isn't it? Don't pull me into it.
Caution
同士(どうし) is most frequently used to highlight 'people', or 'living things' that share some type of relationship, rather than inanimate objects. An easy way to remember this is that the 士(し) kanji in this word means 'gentleman'. However, it may occasionally be seen in reference to inanimate objects as well.
  • この糊(のり)は紙(かみ)同士(どうし)だとよくくっつきますがプラスチック同士(どうし)だとあまりくっつかないです。
    This glue sticks really well between paper, but between plastic, it does not stick well. (Natural, but not very common)
  • プロの格闘家(かくとうか)同士(どうし)の戦(たたか)いは見(み)ていて楽(たの)しい。
    Watching a fight between two professional martial artists is fun. (Natural)

Examples

  • キリンは雄(おす)同士(どうし)が喧嘩(けんか)をする時(とき)互(たが)いに長(なが)い首(くび)で打(う)ち合(あ)う。

    When male giraffes fight among themselves they hit each other with their long necks.

  • そのため、日本(にほん)の企業(きぎょう)会社(かいしゃ)同士(どうし)の協力(きょうりょく)が以前(いぜん)よりも必要(ひつよう)だ。

    Because of that, cooperation among Japanese companies is needed more than before.

  • 負(ま)けた者(もの)同士(どうし)で飲(の)みに行(い)こうよ！

    Those among us who have lost, let's go drinking!

  • 「だって」は家族(かぞく)や友達(ともだち)同士(どうし)などで使(つか)う、くだけた表現(ひょうげん)なので、上司(じょうし)などとの話(はな)し合(あ)いのときは使(つか)わないでください。

    'だって' is an informal expression used among family and friends, therefore please do not use it when discussing with superiors and the like.

  • このように紐(ひも)でページ同士(どうし)を結(むす)びつけることができます。

    You can connect pages together with a string like this.

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