総意
sōi
The English phrase 'consensus' can be expressed in Japanese as 総意 (sōi). If unsure, use 総意. Wiktionary also lists 協心 (kyōshin) and コンセンサス (konsensasu).
Meaning: general agreement (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 総意 | sōi | |
| 協心 | kyōshin | |
| コンセンサス | konsensasu | [kõ̞ɰ̃sẽ̞ɰ̃sa̠sɨ] (narrow) |
総意 refers to a general consensus. It is most commonly used in formal contexts such as politics, law or when referring to the collective decision of a large group like a nation or a committee.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 総意 is composed of 総 (sō), meaning 'all' or 'total' and 意 (i), meaning 'intention' or 'will'.
Which one should you use?
Additionally, 合意 is a more common way to express 'agreement' or 'consensus' in many everyday business situations than the more heavy-sounding 総意.
How do you pronounce it?
sōi
Did you know?
- In Japanese business culture, reaching a 'consensus' often implies 'nemawashi', which literally translates to 'digging around the roots' of a tree to prepare it for transplanting.
- While 総意 describes the result, Japanese culture often prioritizes 和 (wa), or social harmony, which encourages people to agree even if they have private reservations.
- In Japanese politics, reaching a 総意 is often more important than a majority vote, as a decision without total group alignment can be seen as unstable.
Examples in context
- これは国民の総意だ。This is our national consensus.This sentence is useful for illustrating how to express a national consensus using 総意.
- 会議の結果、合意が得られました。A consensus was reached during the meeting.
- グループでの意見交換の末、一致を見た。Through a discussion within the group, consensus was reached.
- そろそろまとまりがつかないと、進められないよ。We can't move forward without reaching a consensus soon.
- 彼らは話し合いを通じて共通点を見つけました。They found common ground through discussion.
- 住民の総意による決定です。jūmin no sōi ni yoru kettei desu.It is a decision based on the consensus of the residents.
- メンバーの総意を確認しましょう。menbā no sōi o kakunin shimashō.Let's confirm the consensus of the members.
Example conversation
Two coworkers are discussing a new office rule.
- 美咲 Misaki新しい規則について、社員の総意はどうですか？atarashii kisoku ni tsuite, shain no sōi wa dō desu ka?Regarding the new rule, what is the consensus among the employees?
- 蓮 Renまだ総意が得られていません。mada sōi ga erarete imasen.We haven't reached a consensus yet.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さんは反対なのですか？Ren-san wa hantai na no desu ka?Are you opposed to it, Ren?
- 蓮 Renいえ、話し合いが続いているだけです。ie, hanashiai ga tsuzuite iru dake desu.No, we are just still discussing it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “consensus” translations and entries 総意, コンセンサス, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
