How to say "association" in Japanese

• 協会きょうかいJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounAn organized association or society — a body with members, such as a professional or trade association. Choose this when 'association' names an organization rather than an activity or a mental link.
  協会きょうかいは彼かれを会長かいちょうにした。↗

  The society made him president.
• 付き合いつきあいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounAssociation in the sense of socializing — keeping company and dealing with people, such as colleagues or neighbors; the nuance is fellowship and personal relationships, not organizations.
  彼かれとは仕事しごとの上うえだけのつきあいだ。↗

  He's just a business associate.
• 共同きょうどうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun (prefix), suru verb, intransitive verb, no-adjectiveCovers 'association' only in the sense of doing something jointly — cooperation, collaboration, partnership. On its own it is a marginal rendering; the word really denotes joint action, not a body or relationship.
  私わたしたちはその店みせを共同きょうどうで経営けいえいしている。↗

  We run the store jointly.
• 組合くみあいJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounAn association of members in the same trade or workplace — in practice it leans toward 'union' or 'guild'. Use it for a body of people banded together, not for socializing or mental association.
  組合くみあいは５％の賃上ちんあげを獲得かくとくした。↗

  The union won a 5% wage increase.
• 連想れんそうJLPT N3approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, transitive verbThe mental sense: association of ideas — one thing calling another to mind, as in word-association games or what a smell suggests. It never refers to organizations or socializing.
  緑みどりは草くさを連想れんそうさせる。↗

  Green is associated with grass.

For an organized body use 協会, or 組合 when it is a union or guild; for socializing with people use 「付き合い」; for joint action use 共同; for mental links between ideas use 連想.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 協会きょうかいassociation
• 付き合いつきあいassociation
• 共同きょうどうcooperation
• 組合くみあいassociation
• 連想れんそうassociation (of ideas)
• 結社けっしゃassociation
• 交際こうさいcompany
• 社団しゃだんcorporation
• アソシエーションassociation
• 連合会れんごうかいassociation
• 協同組合きょうどうくみあいcooperative
• 因みちなみassociation
• ブロックbloc
• 交こうassociation
• 結合子けつごうしassociation
• 観念連合かんねんれんごうassociation (e.g. of two concepts)
• 関連付けかんれんづけassociation
• お付き合いおつきあいassociation
• 友会ゆうかいassociation
• 友の会とものかいassociation
• 係属けいぞくconnection
• 応用アソシエーションおうようアソシエーションapplication-association
• 社しゃcompany
• 会かいsociety
• 連合れんごうassociation
• 団体だんたいorganization
• 会合かいごうassociation
• 往来おうらいassociation
• 相応そうおうconjoining