交 友(こうゆう)

こうゆう

noun

friendship, social relations

formal

1. friendship, social relations, association with friends

The act or state of associating with friends and acquaintances. Often used to describe the scope or nature of someone's social connections.

He has a wide circle of friends.

I value the friendships from my student days.

Interfering too much in a child's friendships can be counterproductive.

Most commonly appears in the compound 交友(こうゆう)関係(かんけい) (social relationships, circle of friends). Rarely used on its own.

交友(こうゆう): friendship as social relations (somewhat formal)
友情(ゆうじょう): friendship as emotional bond
交際(こうさい): association, socializing (broader; also used for romantic relationships)
付(つ)き合(あ)い: association, socializing (everyday term)

Related Words

general

Added 2026.2.18 6:39 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

11500/11713_kouyuu