Translation and Meaning of: 組 - kumi

The Japanese word 組[くみ] is a versatile term that appears in various contexts of everyday life and Japanese culture. If you are studying the language or simply curious about its meaning, this article will explore everything from the basic translation to more specific uses of this expression. Here at Suki Nihongo, our goal is to provide clear and accurate explanations for those who want to truly understand Japanese.

組 can be translated as "group," "team," or even "set," but its meaning goes beyond that. Depending on the context, it carries important nuances that reflect social and organizational aspects of Japan. Let’s uncover how this word is used, its origin, and even some curiosities that can help with memorization.

Meaning and common uses of 組

The term 組 is often used to designate organized groups, whether they are work teams, school classes, or even associations. In schools, for example, it is common to hear phrases like クラスを組む (kurasu o kumu), which refers to the formation of classes. In the corporate environment, the word can appear in expressions such as プロジェクト組 (purojekuto-gumi), indicating a project group.

Additionally, 組 also has a more technical meaning related to assembly or construction. In factories, you might hear 部品を組む (buhin o kumu), which means "to assemble parts." This variety of applications shows how the term is rooted in both daily life and professional contexts.

Origin and writing of the kanji 組

The kanji 組 is composed of the radical 糸 (ito), which means "thread" or "line," combined with 且 (ka), an ancient character associated with "stacking" or "joining." This combination suggests the idea of intertwining or organizing elements, which makes sense considering the modern meanings of the word. The kun'yomi reading くみ (kumi) is the most common, but the kanji can also be read as ソ (so) in compounds like 組織 (soshiki), which means "organization."

Curiously, the use of 組 for human groups dates back to the Edo period, when it was applied to guilds of craftsmen and merchants. This history helps to understand why the word still carries a notion of structure and cooperation, core values in Japanese society.

Tips for memorizing and using 組 correctly

An effective way to anchor the meaning of 組 is to associate it with concrete situations. Think about how the Japanese use the word for sports teams (野球組 - yakyū-gumi) or even bands (音楽組 - ongaku-gumi). This connection with collective activities makes memorization easier, especially if you practice or follow any of these contexts.

Another tip is to pay attention to the verbs that usually accompany 組, such as 組む (kumu - "to assemble," "to form") and 組み合わせる (kumiawaseru - "to combine"). These constructions are common and help to understand the action behind the formation of groups. Avoid confusing it with terms like 群れ (mure), which refers to gatherings without specific organization.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• グループ (gurūpu) - Group in general, can refer to any set of people.
• 団体 (dantai) - Organization or entity, usually with a specific purpose.
• チーム (chīmu) - Team, often used in sports or team work contexts.
• 集団 (shūdai) - Set or collective, refers to a group of people who come together.
• 派閥 (habatsu) - Faction or group within a larger organization, often with specific interests or goals.

組

Romaji: kumi
Kana: くみ
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: class; group; team; set

Meaning in English: class;group;team;set

Definition: To form a group or organization.

Example Sentences - (組) kumi

See below some example sentences:

文芸は芸術と文学を組み合わせたものです。

Bungei wa geijutsu to bungaku o kumiawaseta mono desu

Bungei is a combination of art and literature.

Literature is a combination of art and literature.

• 文芸 - literatura
• は - Topic particle, used to indicate the subject of the sentence.
• 芸術 - means "art" in Japanese.
• と - Connector particle, used to connect two words or phrases.
• 文学 - literatura
• を - Direct object pronoun, used to indicate the object of the action.
• 組み合わせた - verb that means "combine" or "join".
• もの - noun meaning "thing".
• です - verb "to be" in the present tense, used to indicate the state or condition.

このシステムの仕組みはどうなっていますか？

Kono shisutemu no shikumi wa dou natte imasu ka?

I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that.

What is the mechanism of this system?

• この - indicate a nearby or recently mentioned object, in this case, "this"
• システム - system
• の - possessive particle, in this case, "of the system"
• 仕組み - mechanism, structure
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence, in this case, "about"
• どう - how
• なっていますか - polite way to ask "is becoming", "is happening", "is working", etc.
• ？ - question mark

この番組は面白いですね。

Kono bangumi wa omoshiroi desu ne

this program is interesting

This program is interesting.

• この - this
• 番組 - program
• は - Topic particle
• 面白い - interesting/fun
• です - verb ser/estar (polite)
• ね - confirmation particle

この組織は強力な力を持っています。

Kono soshiki wa kyōryoku na chikara o motteimasu

This organization has a powerful force.

This organization has powerful power.

• この - this
• 組織 - organization
• は - Topic particle
• 強力な - strong, powerful
• 力 - strength
• を - direct object particle
• 持っています - Land, possess

五十音は日本語の基本的な音の組み合わせを表します。

Gojūon wa nihongo no kihonteki na oto no kumiawase o hyō shimasu

The 1950s indicate the basic combination of the Japanese sound.

• 五十音 - means "fifty sounds" and refers to the set of Japanese characters used to represent sounds and syllables.
• 日本語 - means "Japanese language".
• 基本的な - means "basic" or "fundamental".
• 音 - means "sound" or "musical note".
• 組み合わせ - means "combination" or "arrangement".
• 表します - means "represents" or "shows".

国連は世界平和と安全を促進するための重要な組織です。

Kokuren wa sekai heiwa to anzen o sokushin suru tame no juuyou na soshiki desu

The United Nations is an important organization for promoting world peace and security.

• 国連 (Kokuren) - 国際連合 (こくさいれんごう)
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 世界 (sekai) - world
• 平和 (heiwa) - peace
• と (to) - grammatical particle that connects words or phrases with the same meaning
• 安全 (anzen) - security
• を (wo) - grammatical particle that indicates the direct object of the sentence
• 促進する (sokushin suru) - promote, encourage
• ための (tame no) - expression indicating the purpose of something
• 重要な (juuyou na) - important
• 組織 (soshiki) - organization
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

熱意を持って取り組むことが成功の鍵です。

Netsui wo motte torikumu koto ga seikou no kagi desu

Working with enthusiasm is the key to success.

• 熱意 (netsui) - enthusiasm, passion
• を (wo) - object particle
• 持って (motte) - having, possessing
• 取り組む (torikumu) - address, deal with
• こと (koto) - Thing, fact
• が (ga) - subject particle
• 成功 (seikou) - success
• の (no) - Possession particle
• 鍵 (kagi) - key
• です (desu) - Verb "to be" in the present tense

真剣に取り組みましょう。

Majime ni torikumimashou

Let's approach this seriously.

Let's work seriously.

• 真剣に - adverb that means "seriously"
• 取り組み - Noun meaning "approach", "way of dealing with something"
• ましょう - auxiliary verb indicating future action, in this case, "we will do"

私の部門は新しいプロジェクトに取り組んでいます。

Watashi no bumon wa atarashii purojekuto ni torikunde imasu

My department is working on a new project.

• 私の部門 - "Watashi no bumon" means "my department" in Japanese.
• は - "wa" is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence.
• 新しい - "atarashii" means "new" in Japanese.
• プロジェクト - "purojekuto" is a word in Japanese that means "project".
• に - "ni" is a Japanese grammatical particle that indicates the direction or target of an action.
• 取り組んでいます - "torikundeimasu" is a verbal form in Japanese that means "we are working hard."