Translation guide
A person with whom one has a casual sexual relationship without romantic commitment. In Japanese, this concept is expressed through slang terms, loanwords, or descriptive phrases, as there is no single direct equivalent.
Referring to a person you have sex with regularly but are not in a romantic relationship with.
Abbreviation of セックスフレンド (sex friend). Very common slang among younger people. Implies a regular, casual sexual relationship without romantic involvement.
彼はただのセフレだよ。
He's just a hookup buddy.
セフレが欲しいって言ってた。
He said he wants a hookup buddy.
Literally 'a body-only relationship'. A descriptive phrase that emphasizes the purely physical nature of the arrangement.
あの人とは体だけの関係だ。
I have a purely physical relationship with that person.
Another abbreviation of セックスフレンド, less common than セフレ.
Do not translate 'hookup buddy' literally as 接続仲間 or similar. It will not be understood. Use the slang terms or descriptive phrases provided.
Terms like セフレ are very casual and may be inappropriate in formal settings. In more polite conversation, you can describe the relationship as 体だけの関係 or simply explain that you are not in a committed relationship.
The full form of セフレ. Slightly more explicit and less slangy, but still casual.
私たちはセックスフレンドの関係です。
We have a hookup buddy relationship.
I'm looking for a hookup buddy.