Refers to a small, exclusive group of people united by shared interests or purposes, often with a slightly negative connotation of self-interest or exclusivity. Used in political, social, or organizational contexts.
Several small factions exist within the party.
He sticks only with his own clique.
Standard kanji spelling for this term.
The term is composed of 朋 (とも, 'companion') and 党 (とう, 'party' or 'faction'), literally meaning a group of companions. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it has been used in classical Chinese and Japanese texts to refer to exclusive groups or factions.