友達

Meaning in English

friend

Stroke order

Animated kanji stroke order

友

Illustrated Dictionary

Sentence

Related sentences

N4 私は友達と映画を見ました。 Watashi wa tomodachi to eiga o mimashita. I watched a movie with a friend. N5 それから友達に会いました。 Sorekara tomodachi ni aimashita. Then I met a friend. N4 私は友達と話します。 Watashi wa tomodachi to hanashimasu. I talk with a friend. N4 私は友達と行きます。 Watashi wa tomodachi to ikimasu. I go with a friend. N5 私は友達に会います。 Watashi wa tomodachi ni aimasu. I meet a friend. N5 私は学校で友達に会います。 Watashi wa gakkou de tomodachi ni aimasu. I meet a friend at school. N4 友達と映画を見ます Tomodachi to eiga o mimasu I watch a movie with a friend N5 私は友達に手紙を書きます。 Watashi wa tomodachi ni tegami o kakimasu. I write a letter to a friend.

Dictionary

Word context

What it means

What does 友達 mean? It denotes a friend—a person you have a friendly relationship with and choose to spend time with. In everyday Japanese, it can refer to a single close friend or a small circle of friends, typically used in casual contexts.

Main meanings

Casual term for a friend or close acquaintance; widely used in everyday speech
Can indicate multiple friends when the context implies plurality

How to use it

Used in casual conversation, social media, and informal writing to refer to a friend or a small group of friends. It contrasts with 友人, which is more formal or written; in contexts like school or among peers, 友達 is common; ownership and relationships are shown with 私の or 君の before the noun.

Variants and close terms

友人 (yuujin) — formal or literate term for a friend
知人 (chijin) — acquaintance
仲間 (nakama) — companion or member of a group

Composition

友: core meaning is friendship and social connection
達: serves as a plural/collective suffix here, often read たち (tachi); together they convey 'friends' or a circle of friends

Word class

Noun (名詞)

Word

Related words by kanji and components

N1 伝達 dentatsu transmission (e.g., news, communication, delivery) N1 到達 toutatsu reaching, attaining, arrival N1 達者 tassha skillful, in good health N1 達成 tassei achievement N2 速達 sokutatsu express, special delivery N3 上達 joutatsu improvement, progress, skill advancement N3 親友 shinyuu close friend, best friend N3 友好 yuukou friendship, friendly relations N3 友情 yuujou friendship, fellowship

Kanji