知人(ちじん)

ちじん
noun
acquaintance
1. acquaintance, someone one knows
A person one knows but is not necessarily close friends with. Less intimate than a friend but more than a stranger.
街(まち)で知人(ちじん)に会(あ)った。
I ran into an acquaintance in town.
知人(ちじん)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.
彼(かれ)は友人(ゆうじん)というより知人(ちじん)だ。
He's more of an acquaintance than a friend.

RELATIONSHIP SPECTRUM:

  • 他人(たにん) (stranger)
  • 知人(ちじん) (acquaintance)
  • 知り合い(しりあい) (acquaintance - less formal)
  • 友人(ゆうじん)/友達(ともだち) (friend)
  • 親友(しんゆう) (close friend)

CONTRAST:

  • 知人(ちじん) - slightly formal; often used in written language
  • 知り合い(しりあい) - casual; more common in spoken language

COMMON USAGE:

  • 知人(ちじん)に紹介(しょうかい)してもらう (to be introduced by an acquaintance)
  • 知人(ちじん)を通(とお)じて (through an acquaintance)

Related Words

Synonym: 知(し)り合(あ)い (acquaintance (casual))
general
Added 2026.1.13 20:35 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
04000/04056_chijin