How to say "common" in Japanese

• ただJLPT N3approx.Common
  no-adjectiveCovers 'ordinary, common' in the plain, nothing-special sense. On its own, however, this word is better known as 'free of charge' or 'merely', so it is seldom what you want when translating 'common'.
  私はただの名無ななしの権兵衛ごんべえです。↗

  I am just a nobody.
• 共通きょうつうJLPT N3approx.Common
  no-adjective, na-adjectiveCovers 'common' as in shared or mutual — features, interests, or ground held by two or more people or things together. This is the natural choice when 'common' means 'joint', not 'ordinary'.
• 尋常じんじょうCommon
  na-adjective, no-adjectiveCovers 'common' as in usual or normal. It is often used in the negative — 'not ordinary' — to stress that something is extraordinary in degree or scale.
  ジェーンの死しは尋常じんじょうではない。↗

  Jane didn't die a natural death.
• 並なみJLPT N1approx.Common
  no-adjectiveCovers 'common' as in average or middling — on a par with the norm rather than special. Suited to rating ability or quality as neither better nor worse than usual.
  これは並なみの能力のうりょくではない。↗

  This isn't any ordinary ability.
• 平凡へいぼんJLPT N2approx.Common
  na-adjective, nounCovers 'common' as in commonplace or unremarkable, often with a critical tinge: it suggests something is mediocre, bland, and lacking in distinction rather than simply average.
  その模様もようの色いろは実じつに平凡へいぼんなものである。↗

  The colors of the pattern are very ordinary.

Use 共通 when 'common' means shared; 尋常 for 'usual, normal'; 並 for average; 平凡 for commonplace with a mediocre tinge; 「ただ」 for plain, ordinary things, though it is better known as 'free' or 'mere'.

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

• ただordinary
• 共通きょうつうcommon
• 尋常じんじょうcommon
• 並なみaverage
• 平凡へいぼんordinary
• 普通ふつうnormal
• ありふれたcommon
• ありがちcommon
• 共立きょうりつjoint
• 通俗つうぞくpopular
• 一般的いっぱんてきgeneral
• 人並みひとなみordinary
• 通俗的つうぞくてきpopular
• 通常つうじょうusual
• コモンcommon
• ざらcommon
• ありきたりcommon
• 卑近ひきんcommon
• 平民的へいみんてきcommon
• 共有地きょうゆうちpublic land
• 尋常一様じんじょういちようordinary
• 凡常ぼんじょうordinary
• 慣用的かんようてきcustomary
• 日常的にちじょうてきmundane
• 多いおおいfrequent
• 一般いっぱんordinary
• 当たり前あたりまえusual
• 俗ぞくcommon
• ポピュラーcommon
• 一様いちようcommon
• 滅多めったordinary
• 公おおやけpublic (use, matter, forum, etc.)
• 一通りひととおりordinary
• 生臭いなまぐさいworldly
• 一方ひとかたordinary
• 平ひらcommon
• そんじょそこらcommon
• 直なおordinary
• 直直なおなおordinary
• あったりまえusual