Translation guide
In Japanese, expressing 'good friend' depends on the depth of the relationship, context, and formality. Direct translations exist, but natural usage often involves specific terms or phrases that convey closeness.
To refer to a close or good friend in a neutral, everyday context.
The most direct and common term for a close or best friend. Implies a deep, trusting relationship.
彼は私の親友です。
He is my good friend.
親友と旅行に行った。
I went on a trip with my good friend.
Refers to a close friend, often with a warm, affectionate nuance. Can be used for both people and relationships.
彼女とは仲良しです。
She and I are good friends.
仲良しの友達と遊んだ。
I hung out with my good friend.
A literal translation of 'good friend'. It is understandable but less idiomatic than 親友 or 仲良し. Often used in explanations or when emphasizing the quality of the friendship.
彼は本当に良い友達だ。
He is a really good friend.
To emphasize a singular, irreplaceable best friend.
Also used for 'best friend'. Context usually clarifies the intensity.
彼女は私の一番の親友です。
She is my best friend.
An emphatic form of 親友, meaning 'great friend' or 'best friend'. Conveys an even stronger bond.
To refer to a friend from childhood, often implying a long-standing, close relationship.
Specifically means a childhood friend. Carries a strong sense of shared history and closeness.
彼は私の幼なじみです。
He is my childhood friend (and a good friend).
To refer to a good friend in very casual, often male-oriented speech.
Slang for 'friend', derived from 友達 (ともだち). Used mainly by young men. Implies a close, buddy-like relationship.
あいつは俺のダチだ。
That guy is my good buddy.
Casual term for a companion or friend, often used in Kansai dialect but understood nationwide. Can imply a close friend.
ツレと飯に行く。
I'm going out to eat with my good friend.
While 良い友達 (よいともだち) is grammatically correct, it can sound like a direct translation from English and is less natural than 親友 or 仲良し in most contexts. Reserve it for when you need to explicitly describe the quality of the friendship.
親友 implies a deep, almost familial bond and is often used for a singular best friend. 仲良し is warmer and can describe a mutual close relationship, sometimes used for pairs or groups. 仲良し can also be used as an adjective (仲良しの友達).
彼女は私の親友です。
She is a good friend of mine.
私たちは幼なじみで、ずっと親友です。
We've been good friends since childhood.
彼は私の大親友だ。
He is my very best friend.
Loanword from English. Used casually, especially among younger people, but can sound slightly affected.
彼女は私のベストフレンドです。
She is my best friend.