Translation guide
The English word "intimate" covers several distinct meanings: close personal relationships, private or cozy settings, deep knowledge, and sexual relations. Japanese expresses these with different words and phrases depending on the nuance.
Describing a very close, familiar, or deeply personal relationship between people.
The most common and natural way to say a person is close or intimate. Used for friends, colleagues, etc.
彼とは親しい友人です。
He is an intimate friend.
親しい間柄でも礼儀は必要だ。
Even in intimate relationships, manners are necessary.
A slightly more formal or literary term for intimate, often used for relationships, bonds, or connections.
二人は親密な関係にある。
The two are in an intimate relationship.
A very common, casual phrase meaning 'on good terms' or 'close'. Often used in spoken Japanese.
あの二人はとても仲がいい。
Those two are very intimate.
A formal, somewhat old-fashioned term for a close or intimate acquaintance, often used in business or social contexts.
懇意にしている取引先です。
It's a business partner we are intimate with.
Describing a setting, place, or atmosphere that is small, private, and conducive to personal conversation.
A loanword from English 'at home', used to describe a cozy, intimate, and welcoming atmosphere, often for restaurants or gatherings.
このレストランはアットホームな雰囲気だ。
This restaurant has an intimate atmosphere.
Means calm, settled, or quiet. Often used for intimate settings that are relaxed and not bustling.
落ち着いた雰囲気のバーで話そう。
Let's talk at a bar with an intimate atmosphere.
Describes a place that is small, neat, and cozy, often with a positive intimate feel.
小ぢんまりしたカフェでお茶を飲んだ。
We had tea at an intimate little café.
A loanword meaning private, often used for spaces that are secluded or exclusive, implying intimacy.
プライベートな空間で話したい。
I want to talk in an intimate space.
Having a very detailed, thorough, or personal understanding of a subject.
The standard word for having detailed knowledge. Often used with the particle に.
彼はこの分野に詳しい。
He has an intimate knowledge of this field.
A more formal phrase meaning to be well-versed or intimately familiar with something.
彼女は日本史に精通している。
She has an intimate knowledge of Japanese history.
Means to know something thoroughly, often through experience. Slightly formal.
彼はその問題を熟知している。
He is intimately familiar with the issue.
Referring to a sexual relationship or physical intimacy.
The most direct and common term for a sexual relationship. Neutral in tone.
二人は肉体関係にある。
They are in an intimate relationship.
A euphemistic phrase meaning 'deep relationship', often implying a sexual one. Used in casual or literary contexts.
彼らは深い仲だという噂だ。
Rumor has it they are intimate.
A literary or formal term for sexual intercourse. Rare in everyday speech.
情交を結ぶ。
To become intimate.
English uses 'intimate' as a verb meaning to hint or imply. Japanese does not have a direct equivalent verb. Use phrases like ほのめかす (to hint) or 示唆する (to suggest).
彼は辞職をほのめかした。
He intimated that he would resign.
親しい is the everyday word for a close friend or relationship. 親密な is more formal and often used in written descriptions or to emphasize depth of connection. For most casual contexts, 親しい or 仲がいい is preferred.
A more clinical or formal term for sexual relations.
性的関係を持つ前に話し合うべきだ。
You should talk before becoming intimate.