Details
Description
Friend - two hands reaching for each other, the oldest picture of companionship and trust.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Shape of two hands overlapping. Companions joining hands.
Symbolism
Friendship, companion, trust. 'Friend' is important relationship in Japan.
Words & Expressions
Words written with 友
Four-Character Compounds
善隣友好
ぜんりんゆうこう
neighbourly friendship; neighborly friendship
知己朋友
ちきほうゆう
intimate friends and acquaintances
益者三友
えきしゃさんゆう
three kinds of beneficial friends: straightforward, sincere, and well-informed ones
読書尚友
どくしょしょうゆう
by reading books you can count the wise philosophers of the past as friends
損者三友
そんしゃさんゆう
three kinds of harmful friends: hypocritical, sycophantic, and glib-talking ones
歳寒三友
さいかんさんゆう
the three friends of winter (pine, bamboo and plum)
Proverbs & Idioms
類は友を呼ぶ
るいはともをよぶ
Birds of a feather flock together
Like attracts like
Poetry
誰をかも 知る人にせむ 高砂の 松も昔の 友ならなくに
Whom shall I take now as a friend? Even the ancient pine of Takasago is no friend from the old days.
Anime & Manga
夏目友人帳
Natsume's Book of Friends
Story of bonds with spirits held in the 'Book of Friends.'
僕は友達が少ない
Haganai
A well-known work with 友 in its Japanese title.
弱キャラ友崎くん
Bottom-Tier Character Tomozaki
A well-known work with 友 in its Japanese title.
クラスで２番目に可愛い女の子と友だちになった
I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class
A well-known work with 友 in its Japanese title.
男女の友情は成立する？（いや、 しないっ!!）
Can a Boy-Girl Friendship Survive?
A well-known work with 友 in its Japanese title.
Games
ポケットモンスター
Pokémon(1996)
Developer: Game Freak
RPG adventuring with Pokémon as 'friends.'
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does 友 mean in Japanese?
友 means friend. Friend - two hands reaching for each other, the oldest picture of companionship and trust.
How do you read 友?
On'yomi: ユウ (YUU). Kun'yomi: とも (tomo).
How many strokes does 友 have?
友 has 4 strokes. Its radical is 又 (again).
Is 友 a good kanji for a tattoo?
友 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means friend. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:friend