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交友 (こうゆう, kouyuu) Japanese meaning: friend | Kotomora

交こう友ゆう

こ

う

ゆ

う

Common word›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

friend; companion; acquaintance

A somewhat formal noun for people one associates with as friends or acquaintances. Often suggests a circle of contacts rather than one close friend.

彼かれは海かい外がいにも

多おお

く

の

交こう

友ゆう

を

持も

っ

て

いる

。

He has many friends and acquaintances overseas.

2

friendship; companionship; social relations

Refers to friendship, companionship, or the state/range of one's social relationships. Very common in compounds and phrases such as 交友関係 and 交友を深める.

See also: 交遊

彼かの女じょは学がく生せい時じ代だいから交こう友ゆう関かん係けいが広ひろい。
She has had a wide circle of friends since her student days.
二人ふたりは留りゅう学がく中ちゅうに交こう友ゆうを深ふかめた。
The two deepened their friendship while studying abroad.

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉と交こう友ゆうを深ふかめるto deepen one's friendship with someone
彼かれとは留りゅう学がく中ちゅうに交こう友ゆうを深ふかめた。
I deepened my friendship with him while studying abroad.
交こう友ゆう関かん係けいが広ひろいto have a wide circle of friends
彼かの女じょは交こう友ゆう関かん係けいが広ひろく、いろいろな業ぎょう界かいに知しり合あいがいる。
〈人ひと〉と交こう友ゆうがあるto have a friendship or acquaintance with someone
彼かれはその作さっ家かと長なが年ねん交こう友ゆうがある。
He has had a long-standing friendship with that author.
交こう友ゆうを絶たつto cut off a friendship
彼かれは昔むかしの交こう友ゆうを絶たち、新あたらしい生せい活かつを始はじめた。
He cut off his old friendships and started a new life.

Kanji

交mingle, mixing, association
友friend

Related words

友ゆう人じんN3sense 1
友人 is the plain word for an individual friend, while 交友 is more formal and often refers to one's circle of friends or the relationship itself.
交こう際さいN3sense 2
交際 means socializing or association and can also imply romantic dating, while 交友 focuses narrowly on friendship.
友とも達だちN5sense 1
友達 is the everyday, casual word for a friend, whereas 交友 is a formal, written-register term for friends or social ties.
知ち人じんN3sense 1
知人 refers to someone one knows without implying closeness, while 交友 specifically implies a friendly relationship.
友ゆう情じょうN3
交友 emphasizes the act of associating and socializing with friends, while 友情 emphasizes the emotional bond itself.

Don't confuse with

交こう遊ゆう
交遊 is a homophone of 交友 that leans toward social outings or intercourse among friends, while 交友 leans toward the friendly relationship or circle itself.
親しん交こうN1
交友 and 親交 use the same two kanji in reverse order, but 交友 refers broadly to one's circle of friends or acquaintances, while 親交 emphasizes the depth of a particular relationship.

Word family

不ふ良りょう交こう友ゆう
bad company; keeping bad company; getting mixed up with the wrong people
交こう友ゆう関かん係けい
circle of friends; one's relationships; people one knows

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound: 交 conveys mixing or associating, and 友 means friend. The spelling is conventionally associated with friendly association and one's circle of friends.

She has a wide circle of friends and knows people in many industries.