知(し)り合(あ)い

しりあい
noun
acquaintance
1. acquaintance
A person one knows but who is not a close friend.
知(し)り合(あ)いに偶然(ぐうぜん)会(あ)った。
I ran into an acquaintance by chance.
彼(かれ)は私(わたし)の古(ふる)い知(し)り合(あ)いです。
He is an old acquaintance of mine.
知(し)り合(あ)いの紹介(しょうかい)で仕事(しごと)を見(み)つけた。
I found a job through an acquaintance's introduction.

知(し)り合(あ)い is derived from the verb 知(し)り合(あ)う (to get to know each other).

DISTINCTION FROM "FRIEND":

Common expressions

  • 知(し)り合(あ)いになる (to become acquainted)
  • 知(し)り合(あ)いを通(とお)して (through an acquaintance)
  • 知(し)り合(あ)いの知(し)り合(あ)い (an acquaintance's acquaintance)

Usage

Using 知(し)り合(あ)い to describe someone implies a less close relationship than 友達(ともだち).

Related Words

Related: 友達(ともだち) (friend)
Compare: 友人(ゆうじん) (friend)
Compare: 顔馴染(かおなじ)み (familiar face)
Compare: 旧知(きゅうち) (old acquaintance)
Compare: 昔馴染(むかしなじ)み (old acquaintance)
Compare: 親友(しんゆう) (close friend, best friend)
general
Added 2026.1.12 9:54 · Revised 2026.10.10 9:36
03000/03253_shiriai