賛成 vs 同感: Formal Agreement vs Shared Feeling in Japanese

Yuka

賛成 and 同感 both mean “I agree” — but they’re used in quite different situations. Let’s compare!

賛成: Formal Agreement / Approval

賛成 (sansei) means to be in favor of or to approve of something — a proposal, plan, or decision. It’s more formal and often used in discussions or votes:

• 賛成です！ — I agree! / I’m in favor!
• その計画に賛成する。 — I approve of that plan.
• 賛成多数で決定した。 — Decided by a majority vote.
• 賛成？反対？ — In favor or against?

同感: Shared Feeling / Same Opinion

同感 (doukan) is more personal — it expresses that you share someone’s feeling or opinion, not necessarily a formal vote:

• その気持ち、同感だよ。 — I feel the same way.
• 全く同感！ — Totally agree! (about a feeling or opinion)
• 同感を覚える。 — To feel a sense of agreement / resonance.

Rei

Can I use 同感 instead of 賛成 in a meeting?

Yuka

It’s unusual — 賛成 is the standard for formal agreement. 同感 is more for personal, emotional agreement.

Comparison Table

Quick Quiz

At a meeting, they ask “who agrees with this proposal?” What do you say?

• a) 同感です
• b) 賛成です

Answer: b) 賛成です — formal agreement in a decision-making context.

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