bond; ties; connection
Refers to emotional bonds between people, such as family, friendship, or shared experience. Often used in positive contexts.
家族の絆は何よりも大切だ。
Family bonds are more important than anything.
By overcoming hardships together, we deepened our family bond.
長年の友情で強い絆が生まれた。
A strong bond developed through years of friendship.
Original literal meaning: a rope or chain used to tie an animal. Now mostly literary or metaphorical, often implying a restrictive bond.
彼は過去の絆に縛られている。
He is bound by the fetters of the past.
He cut his ties with his hometown and set off far away.
The two of them are bound together by a long-standing friendship.
Their bond is very strong.
Working on the same team, I came to feel a bond with my colleagues.
繋がり is a neutral, broad word for any link or connection, whereas 絆 specifically implies a deep, heartfelt tie.
結びつき describes a connection or link in a fairly neutral, often analytical way, while 絆 carries stronger emotional warmth.
連帯 refers to solidarity within a group, especially in social or political contexts, while 絆 focuses on personal, emotional bonds.
絆 refers to a strong bond that can exist between friends, family, or teammates, while 友情 specifically denotes the emotional tie of friendship.
絆創膏 (a band-aid) shares the kanji 絆 with 絆 (きずな) but is read differently and has nothing to do with emotional bonds.
Standard kanji spelling; widely used in modern Japanese for emotional bonds.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
Rarely used kanji form.
Originally referred to a rope or tether for restraining animals. The emotional sense developed metaphorically from the idea of being bound together.