close friendship; intimacy; familiar terms
Describes a warm, trusting relationship, often between individuals or families. Commonly used in phrases like 懇意にする (to be on close terms) or 懇意な間柄 (an intimate relationship).
I have been on close terms with him for many years.
Precisely because we are close, we can speak frankly.
Dated usage referring to a benevolent, kindly disposition. In modern Japanese, this sense is largely replaced by words like 親切 or 好意.
In the old letter, words of gratitude for the other's kindness were written.
He is on friendly terms with the shop owner in his neighborhood.
I've been receiving kind favor from the president of our business partner.
The two of them have long been on intimate terms.
親切 is the modern, common word for kindness or helpfulness, while the dated second sense of 懇意 refers to a similar benevolent goodwill.
親しい is the everyday adjective for being close to someone, whereas 懇意 is a more formal noun/na-adjective used in polite or written contexts.
好意 is the standard modern term for goodwill or favorable feeling, largely replacing the dated goodwill sense of 懇意.
仲良し is a casual, familiar term for close friends, while 懇意 sounds more formal and is often used about business or family connections.
懇親 refers to fostering friendly relations, often in a social gathering like 懇親会, while 懇意 describes the resulting state of being on close terms.
懇談 means a friendly, informal talk or discussion, whereas 懇意 describes the underlying close relationship itself, not an act of conversing.
Composed of 懇 (sincere, kind) and 意 (mind, thought). The combination conveys a sincere, heartfelt disposition, which developed into the modern sense of close, trusting relationships.