付き合い
Meaning in Englishrelationship, social contact, association
Animated kanji stroke order
Word context
What it means
付き合い means the act or state of forming a relationship or taking part in social interactions; it encompasses social obligations within groups, companionship, and the broader sense of dating or going out with someone.
Main meanings
- Social bonds and obligations within communities, clubs, or workplaces; being sociable and maintaining ties.
- An acquaintance or the broader network of people one is connected to; a circle of associations.
- The act of dating or going out with someone in casual to semi-formal contexts; the relationship aspect between two people.
How to use it
Used as a noun to denote social life, relationships, and the act of going along with others. In formal writing it can refer to ongoing relationships and ongoing social interactions; in casual speech it more often refers to everyday sociability and the social circle.
Variants and close terms
- 交際, kousai — dating or romantic relationship
- 関係, kankei — relation or connection
- 付き添い, tsukisoi — accompaniment
- 付き合う, tsukiau — to date or to go along with
Composition
- 付く: to attach, to be attached, to accompany
- 合い: noun-forming suffix from 合う meaning mutual or reciprocal action
Etymology
付く (to attach, accompany) and 合う (to match, join); the form 付き derives from these, and 合い adds the nuance of reciprocal action, together forming the meaning of forming a connection or association.
Word class
Noun (名詞)