How to say "community" in Japanese

• 社会しゃかいJLPT N4approx.Common
  nounCovers 'community' in the broad sense of society at large or the public. Its core meaning is 'society', so for a small local or interest-based group another word fits better.
  彼かれの一生いっしょうは社会しゃかいの下積したづみで終おわった。↗

  He lived and died in obscurity.
• コミュニティCommon
  nounThe direct loanword for 'community': a group of people tied by shared place or interest, as in a local neighborhood or online group. When you simply mean 'community', this is the natural choice.
  これらの人々ひとびとがコミュニティから排除はいじょされたのだと考かんがえることは非ひ合理的ごうりてきだとは言いえない。↗

  It is not unreasonable to think that these people were excluded from the community.
• 集落しゅうらくCommon
  nounMeans a settlement or village: people living together in one clustered place. It covers 'community' only in that concrete, geographic sense, and is not used for abstract or interest-based communities.
• 群集ぐんしゅうJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, suru verb, intransitive verbReally means a crowd: a mass of people gathered in one place, or a herd. Its 'community' sense is marginal, so it is seldom the word you want when translating 'community'.
  群集ぐんしゅうは嬉うれしさのあまり歓声かんせいを上あげた。↗

  The crowd yelled with delight.
• 共同体きょうどうたいCommon
  nounCovers 'community' as a bonded collective: a body of people united by shared ties and mutual support. It is the word for community in abstract, sociological, or formal discussion.
  この共同体きょうどうたいにおいても変化へんかへの刺激しげきが一連いちれんの変化へんかを示しめしていた点てんに注目ちゅうもくしてみよう。↗

  Note that the impetus for change has undergone a series of transformations in this community.

Use 「コミュニティ」 for a group sharing a place or interest, 共同体 for a bonded collective in abstract or academic contexts, 社会 for society at large, 集落 for a village-like settlement, and skip 群集, which really means a crowd.

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

• 社会しゃかいsociety
• コミュニティcommunity
• 集落しゅうらくsettlement
• 群集ぐんしゅうcrowd
• 共同体きょうどうたいcooperative body
• 界かいcommunity
• 共聴きょうちょうcommunity
• 共同視聴きょうどうしちょうcommunity
• 共同社会きょうどうしゃかいcommunal society
• ゲマインシャフトgemeinschaft
• 共通性きょうつうせいcommunality
• 共同きょうどうcommunity
• 界隈かいわいcommunity (of people with a shared trait, members, fans, etc.)
• 雑居ざっきょmulti-tenant
• コミュcommunity