What Does 友 Mean in Japanese?
友 means friend.
The kun’yomi とも appears when the kanji stands alone, while ユウ is used in compounds such as 友人, 親友, and 友情.
It is a central kanji for talking about relationships.
Reading
On’yomi: ユウ (yuu)
Kun’yomi: とも (tomo)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 友 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | friend |
| Stroke Count | 4 |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
How to Understand This Kanji
友 refers to a person with whom one has a friendly relationship. It can stand alone as とも in literary or fixed expressions, but 友達 is more common in conversation.
Common Words
- 友達（ともだち / tomodachi） — friend
- 友人（ゆうじん / yuujin） — friend, acquaintance
- 親友（しんゆう / shinyuu） — close friend, best friend
- 友情（ゆうじょう / yuujou） — friendship
- 友好（ゆうこう / yuukou） — friendship, friendly relations
- 友（とも / tomo） — friend, companion
Example Sentences
-
週末に友達と映画を見ました。
しゅうまつにともだちとえいがをみました。 / Shuumatsu ni tomodachi to eiga o mimashita.
I watched a movie with a friend on the weekend.
-
彼は大学時代からの親友です。
かれはだいがくじだいからのしんゆうです。 / Kare wa daigaku jidai kara no shinyuu desu.
He has been my close friend since college.
-
長い友情を大切にしたいです。
ながいゆうじょうをたいせつにしたいです。 / Nagai yuujou o taisetsu ni shitai desu.
I want to value our long friendship.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
The kun’yomi とも appears in 友 and 友達. The on’yomi ユウ appears in compounds such as 親友 and 友情.
Summary
友 means friend and is a useful kanji for talking about relationships, school life, and social connections.