Meaning and Usage
"一同" (いちどう) refers to all the people present or involved as a group. It is often used in formal or polite contexts to express collective action or sentiment, such as gratitude or greetings.
Common Contexts
You will frequently see "一同" in business emails, speeches, or formal announcements where a group wants to express a unified message. It emphasizes that the statement or feeling comes from everyone together.
Collocations and Patterns
- "社員一同" (しゃいんいちどう): all employees, used in company communications.
- "先生と生徒一同" (せんせいとせいといちどう): teachers and all students, often in school contexts.
- "一同で歓迎する" (いちどうでかんげいする): to welcome all together, showing collective hospitality.
Register and Nuance
"一同" is formal and polite, suitable for written and spoken language in professional or ceremonial settings. It is not casual and rarely used in everyday informal conversation.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse "一同" with "みんな" or "全員" which also mean "everyone." However, "一同" carries a nuance of a group acting or feeling as one unit, often in formal contexts, whereas "みんな" is casual and "全員" is neutral but less formal than "一同." Use "一同" when you want to emphasize unity and formality.