# ぐるみ: together (with); -wide > Learn how to use ぐるみ, a JLPT N1 Japanese grammar point meaning together (with) or -wide, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N1 · Updated: 2026-05-18 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n1-gurumi/ **ぐるみ** means **together (with); -wide**. It is a **JLPT N1** Japanese grammar pattern used to express that something involves an entire group, community, or entity as a whole. This grammar point often appears in news reports, formal discussions, and N1 reading passages. If you want to emphasize that a whole family, town, company, or region is involved—not just a few members—**ぐるみ** is the pattern you need.
ぐるみ captures the full scale: not just with someone, but with everyone.
## What does ぐるみ mean? Use **ぐるみ** when you want to express that something involves an **entire group, community, or entity** as a single unit. Natural translations include: - together (with); -wide The translation shifts with context—sometimes “family-wide,” “town-wide,” or “with the whole family.” Always check whether the writer is highlighting total inclusion. ## How to form ぐるみ
Noun + ぐるみ
The noun names the whole entity—a family, town, company, or region. No other word types attach directly.
家族(かぞく) + ぐるみ
町(まち) + ぐるみ
会社(かいしゃ) + ぐるみ
In JLPT questions, wrong answers often try to attach ぐるみ to verbs or adjectives—those will be incorrect. ## When is ぐるみ used? **ぐるみ** fits situations like: - community-wide events (festivals, clean-ups) - family-inclusive outings or decisions - company-wide conspiracies or fraud - regional cooperation or movements Tone and register: - neutral to formal; common in newspapers and reports - can carry a sense of scale—positive when describing unity, negative when describing collective wrongdoings ## ぐるみ example sentences

家族かぞくぐるみで旅行りょこうに行いく。

We go on a trip with the whole family.

#family #leisure

町まちぐるみで祭まつりを祝いわう。

The whole town celebrates the festival.

#community

親子おやこぐるみの参加さんかが多おおい。

There are many parent‑child pairs participating.

#event

会社がいしゃぐるみの不正ふせいが発覚はっかくした。

Company‑wide fraud was uncovered.

#scandal #business

地域ちいきぐるみで防犯ぼうはんに取とり組くむ。

The whole community works on crime prevention.

#security

学校がっこうぐるみの運動会うんどうかいが盛もり上あがった。

The school‑wide sports day was lively.

#school
Each sentence emphasizes that the entire entity, not a fraction, is involved. ## Nuance of ぐるみ The key nuance is **total inclusion**: every member or part of the named group is involved, often with a sense of unity or pervasiveness. This matters because: - Saying “家族(かぞく)と一緒(いっしょ)に” means you’re with family members; saying “家族(かぞく)ぐるみ” means the whole family—parents, children, maybe grandparents—acts as one. - In news, “会社(かいしゃ)ぐるみ” implies systemic wrongdoings, not just one rogue employee. - The pattern can carry a slightly heavy or formal tone, fitting serious announcements or reports. When you want to stress that **everyone** is in, not just some, reach for ぐるみ. ## ぐるみ vs と一緒(いっしょ)に
ぐるみ
total group involvement as a unit
When you mean the entire family / town / company is acting together, often with a sense of collective responsibility or scale.
家族(かぞく)ぐるみで引っ越し(ひっこし)た。
The whole family moved together.
と一緒(いっしょ)に
companionship or simultaneity
When you mean you’re with someone, or at the same time—no implication that the entire group takes part.
家族(かぞく)と一緒(いっしょ)に引っ越し(ひっこし)た。
I moved with my family.
The difference is scope. If you say “家族(かぞく)ぐるみ that participated in the fraud,” it means the family acted as one bloc; “家族(かぞく)と一緒(いっしょ)に committed fraud” sounds like several individuals happened to do it together. ## Common mistakes with ぐるみ
❌
行く(いく)ぐるみで準備(じゅんび)した。
✅
家族(かぞく)ぐるみで準備(じゅんび)した。
ぐるみ attaches to nouns, not verbs.
❌
彼(かれ)ぐるみで買い物(かいもの)した。
✅
彼(かれ)と一緒(いっしょ)に買い物(かいもの)した。
For a single person, と一緒(いっしょ)に is correct—ぐるみ requires a group noun.
❌
町(まち)ぐるみの一部(いちぶ)が協力(きょうりょく)した。
✅
町(まち)の一部(いちぶ)が協力(きょうりょく)した。
ぐるみ means the whole; don’t use it when only a fraction is involved.
## Is ぐるみ on the JLPT?
N1

Frequent in reading comprehension and vocabulary-in-context questions.

Expect to:

  • recognize ぐるみ in newspaper excerpts
  • choose the correct meaning when “全体(ぜんたい)を含む(ふくむ)” is an option
  • reject distractor grammar that doesn’t fit a noun base
The N1 level tests whether you catch the “whole-group” nuance, not just a simple “together.” ## Practice questions for ぐるみ
1

Use ぐるみ in a sentence about a neighborhood project.

community
2

Write a sentence where ぐるみ is necessary to show that a scandal reached every level of an organization.

nuance
3

Create a pair: one with ぐるみ, one with と一緒(いっしょ)に, and explain how the nuance shifts.

compare
4

Find a news article headline that uses ぐるみ and note what it implies about the event.

real Japanese
## Learning path for ぐるみ
1
Lock in formation: any noun can become “noun + ぐるみ.” Practice with 家族(かぞく), 町(まち), 学校(がっこう), 会社(かいしゃ) until it’s automatic.
2
Compare ぐるみ and がてら (different nuance) and と一緒(いっしょ)に to see how each handles “together.”
3
Write one sentence where ぐるみ is the only natural choice—perhaps a company-wide scandal or an all-town event.
4
Read a short N1-level article containing ぐるみ. Highlight the word and note what it tells you about the scope of the topic.
## Related grammar to review next - [羽目(はめ)になる](/blog/n1-hame-ni-naru/) — because it also describes situations where whole groups can become entangled. - [ごとき / ごとく / ごとし](/blog/n1-gotoki-gotoku-gotoshi/) — because it adds a literary, illustrative nuance that pairs well with broad-scope expressions. - [ほどのことではない](/blog/n1-hodo-no-koto-dewa-nai/) — because it deals with scale; ぐるみ shows large scale, while this pattern downplays it. - [がてら](/blog/n1-gatera/) — because it also layers an action onto a wider context, teaching you how Japanese packages simultaneous activities. ## Learn ぐるみ with Hane If you want to review **ぐるみ** together with the related patterns above, Hane helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N1 grammar lessons](/blog/n1/)