Word in Japanese/emotion
Friend in Japanese
Friend translates as 友達 (tomodachi). Below is a full breakdown with stroke counts, alternate writings, an example sentence, and tattoo design notes.
What it means
友達 (tomodachi, ともだち) means friend, friendship.
| Kanji | Meaning | Strokes | On'yomi | Kun'yomi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 友 | friend | 4 | yuu | tomo |
| 達 | reach, attain, plural marker | 12 | tatsu | — |
Alternate writings
Japanese often offers more than one valid kanji for a concept. The alternates below carry slightly different nuance — read them carefully before choosing.
friendship as a concept or bond, more abstract than tomodachi
literary or poetic friend, common in compound names
close friend or best friend
Compounds and related words
Common Japanese vocabulary built around this kanji.
| Word | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 親友 | shin'yuu | close friend |
| 友情 | yuujou | friendship |
| 友人 | yuujin | friend (formal) |
Example sentence
彼は私の一番の友達です。
Kare wa watashi no ichiban no tomodachi desu.
He is my best friend.
Tattoo design notes
友 alone is a clean, four-stroke kanji often chosen for friendship tattoos and is more visually balanced than the two-character 友達. For the abstract concept of friendship as a bond, 友情 (yuujou) is more accurate. 友達 is the everyday spoken word but the 達 character is structurally complex on small designs.
Cultural notes
友 appears in many given names and historical phrases. 友達 is colloquial; 友人 is the more formal counterpart used in business and writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say friend in Japanese?
Friend in Japanese is 友達, romanised as tomodachi and written in hiragana as ともだち. 友 appears in many given names and historical phrases. 友達 is colloquial; 友人 is the more formal counterpart used in business and writing.
What does the kanji 友達 mean?
友 means "friend" (4 strokes; on'yomi: yuu; kun'yomi: tomo). 達 means "reach, attain, plural marker" (12 strokes; on'yomi: tatsu; kun'yomi: —). Together the word reads as tomodachi.
What is the difference between 友達 and 友情?
友達 (tomodachi) is the standard form: 友 appears in many given names and historical phrases. 友達 is colloquial; 友人 is the more formal counterpart used in business and writing.. 友情 (yuujou) is different — friendship as a concept or bond, more abstract than tomodachi. Pick based on the exact nuance you want to convey.
Is 友達 a good kanji for a tattoo?
友 alone is a clean, four-stroke kanji often chosen for friendship tattoos and is more visually balanced than the two-character 友達. For the abstract concept of friendship as a bond, 友情 (yuujou) is more accurate. 友達 is the everyday spoken word but the 達 character is structurally complex on small designs.
How do you write friend in hiragana?
In hiragana, friend is written as ともだち, which represents the sound tomodachi. The kanji form 友達 is used in everyday writing; hiragana is used when the kanji is too difficult, for emphasis, or in children's text.
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