交際

What it means

What does 交際 mean? It refers to being socially connected or in a relationship with someone, including dating, romantic involvement, or regular social interactions within a circle. In everyday Japanese, it covers romantic courtship as well as companionship or association with others.

Main meanings

• Romantic dating or a romantic relationship between two adults; often used in formal or neutral contexts rather than casual speech.
• General socializing, companionship, and maintaining relations within a circle of friends or colleagues; emphasizes ongoing interaction rather than a one-off date.
• Affiliations or connections with organizations, groups, or other entities; used in more formal or journalistic language to denote associations or links.

How to use it

Used in formal or neutral contexts to denote dating or social relations; paired with する to form 交際する, or with 交際中 to express being in a relationship. In casual speech, people prefer 付き合う for dating and relationship talk; 交際 is common in writing, news, and official communication to describe interpersonal relations or affiliations without slang.