The characteristic common to all fungi is that they are heterotrophic. This means they cannot produce their own food like plants do through photosynthesis. Instead, they obtain nutrients by absorbing them from their surroundings. This usually involves breaking down organic matter, such as dead plants or animals, or living organisms in the case of parasitic fungi.

Here's a breakdown of what this means:

* Heterotrophic: They rely on other organisms for food.

* Absorptive nutrition: They release enzymes into their surroundings to break down food, then absorb the digested nutrients.

This characteristic sets fungi apart from plants, animals, and bacteria. While some bacteria are also heterotrophic, fungi have unique ways of obtaining nutrients and their cell structures differ from bacteria.