Translation guide
The act of interacting with others in a social context, from casual chats to formal gatherings. Japanese expressions vary by formality, setting, and the nature of the interaction.
Spending time with friends or acquaintances in a relaxed, informal way.
Literally 'to play', but widely used for hanging out with friends, regardless of activity. Very common and natural for casual socialising.
週末は友達と遊んだ。
I hung out with friends over the weekend.
今度遊ぼうよ。
Let's hang out sometime.
Means 'to associate with' or 'to keep company with'. Implies spending time together, often out of social obligation or as part of a group. Can be used for casual or semi-formal contexts.
彼とは大学時代から付き合っている。
I've been socialising with him since university.
今日は上司の付き合いで飲みに行く。
Today I'm going out for drinks to socialise with my boss.
Means 'to interact' or 'to exchange'. More formal and often used for cultural exchange, networking, or organised social events. Not for casual hanging out.
留学生と交流する機会があった。
I had a chance to socialise with international students.
Mingling, chatting, and interacting with people at a social gathering.
The direct equivalent of 'to socialise' in a party or formal gathering context. Implies polite conversation and networking.
パーティーでたくさんの人と社交した。
I socialised with many people at the party.
Literally 'to talk with people'. A natural, simple way to describe socialising at an event without using a formal word.
パーティーではいろんな人と話した。
At the party, I talked with various people.
Means 'to associate' or 'to keep company'. Can imply a closer relationship or dating, but also used for socialising in a broader sense. Slightly formal.
彼は幅広く交際している。
He socialises widely.
Socialising specifically over food or drinks, often after work or in the evening.
Literally 'to go for a drink'. The most common way to describe socialising over alcohol, often with colleagues or friends.
金曜日は同僚と飲みに行く。
On Fridays, I go out for drinks with colleagues.
Literally 'to go for a meal'. Used when socialising over lunch or dinner, without necessarily involving alcohol.
友達と食事に行って話した。
I went out for a meal with a friend and we talked.
Formal term for a business dinner or luncheon. Used in professional contexts.
取引先と会食した。
I had a business dinner with a client.
Referring to the concept of socialising in a broad sense, such as in discussions about lifestyle or personality.
Noun meaning 'socialising' or 'social life'. Often used in compounds like 社交的 (sociable).
彼は社交が苦手だ。
He is not good at socialising.
Noun meaning 'socialising' or 'keeping company', often with a nuance of obligation or maintaining relationships.
Noun meaning 'interaction' or 'exchange', used for cultural or international socialising.
遊ぶ is for casual hanging out with friends, while 社交する is for formal socialising at events. Using 社交する for a casual meetup sounds stiff.
友達と遊ぶのは楽しい。
Hanging out with friends is fun.
社交の場ではマナーが大切だ。
Manners are important in social situations.
The English verb 'socialise' does not have a single perfect equivalent in Japanese. Choose the expression based on context: casual (遊ぶ), formal (社交する), or drinking (飲みに行く). Using 社交する in casual contexts sounds unnatural.
I get tired from work-related socialising.
国際交流イベントに参加した。
I participated in an international socialising event.