A somewhat formal or literary term for a close friend; less common in everyday speech than 友達 (ともだち).
He is my most trusted friend.
I met an old friend from my school days for the first time in a while.
intimate friends and acquaintances
A Sino-Japanese compound of 朋 (ほう, 'companion') and 友 (ゆう, 'friend'). The word has been used in classical Chinese literature and retains a formal, literary tone in modern Japanese.