交こう際さい

こ

う

さ

い

Common wordJLPTN3Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

socializing; association; company

General term for social interaction, keeping company, or being acquainted with someone. Can refer to friendships, business relationships, or social circles.

彼かれは仕し事ごと以い外がいではあまり交こう際さいしない。
He doesn't socialize much outside of work.

近きん所じょとの交こう際さいを大たい切せつにしている。

I value my relationships with the neighbors.

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

dating; romantic involvement

Specifically refers to romantic dating or being in a relationship. Often used in phrases like 交際を申し込む (to ask someone out) or 交際相手 (romantic partner).

彼かの女じょと交こう際さいを始はじめてから、もう三さん年ねんになる。
It's been three years since I started dating her.
交こう際さい相あい手てがいるかどうか聞きいてみた。
I asked if they were seeing someone.

Kanji

交mingle, mixing, association
際occasion, side, edge

Similar words

付つき合あい
付き合い is more casual and covers both social and romantic relationships, while 交際 sounds slightly more formal and is often used for romantic contexts or official social ties.
交こう流りゅう
交流 emphasizes exchange or interaction between groups, cultures, or ideas, whereas 交際 focuses on personal relationships and companionship.

Etymology

Compound of 交 (interchange, mixing) and 際 (occasion, contact), referring to mutual contact and association. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji combination has been used to mean social intercourse since at least the Meiji period.