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親善 (しんぜん, shinzen) Japanese meaning: friendship | Kotomora

親しん善ぜん

し

ん

ぜ

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

friendship; goodwill; friendly relations

Often used in diplomatic, international, or organizational contexts to describe efforts to promote mutual understanding and cooperation.

両りょう国こくの親しん善

ぜん

を

深ふか

める

ため

に

文ぶん

化か

交こう

流りゅう

が

行おこな

わ

れ

た

。

Cultural exchanges were held to deepen the friendship between the two countries.

親しん善ぜん大たい使しとして各かっ国こくを訪ほう問もんした。

I visited various countries as a goodwill ambassador.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉と親しん善ぜんを深ふかめるto deepen friendly relations with (a country/region)
両りょう国こくは文ぶん化か交こう流りゅうを通つうじて親しん善ぜんを深ふかめた。
The two countries deepened their friendly relations through cultural exchange.
親しん善ぜんを図はかるto seek/promote goodwill
両りょう国こく政せい府ふは親しん善ぜんを図はかるために会かい談だんを開ひらいた。
The two governments held talks in order to promote goodwill.
親しん善ぜんのために〈動どう詞し〉to do something for the sake of goodwill
選せん手しゅたちは親しん善ぜんのために交こう流りゅう試じ合あいを行おこなった。
The players held an exchange match for the sake of goodwill.

Kanji

親parent, intimacy, relative
善virtuous, good, goodness

Related words

友ゆう好こうN3
友好 is a broader, everyday term for friendliness between people or groups, while 親善 specifically stresses goodwill and cooperation in formal or international relations.
親しん睦ぼくN1
親睦 refers to friendly bonding within a group (e.g. a 親睦会 social gathering), whereas 親善 is used for goodwill between nations or organizations.
友ゆう好こう関かん係けいN3
親善 stresses active goodwill and mutual understanding (as in 親善大使), whereas 友好関係 is the broader, more neutral term for the friendly ties themselves.
善ぜん隣りん
親善 refers to goodwill or friendly exchange (e.g. 親善試合, 親善大使) without the specifically geographic 'neighbor' sense that 善隣 carries.
親しん交こうN1
親善 refers to goodwill activities, often diplomatic or organizational (e.g. 親善試合), while 親交 refers to a personal close relationship.

Opposites

敵てき対たいN1
敵対 means hostility or antagonism, the opposite of the amicable relations expressed by 親善.

Don't confuse with

親しん切せつN5
親切 means personal kindness toward someone, while 親善 refers to goodwill between countries or groups, not individual acts of kindness.

Word family

国こく際さい親しん善ぜん
international goodwill; international friendship
日にちイ親しん善ぜん
Japan-Israel friendship; friendly relations between Japan and Israel
親しん善ぜん使し節せつ
goodwill ambassador; goodwill envoy; goodwill mission
親しん善

Etymology

Compound of 親 (friendly, intimate) and 善 (good, virtuous), conveying the idea of fostering good and friendly relations.

ぜん

大たい

使し

goodwill ambassador; friendship ambassador

親しん善ぜん試じ合あい

friendly match; exhibition game