1.
circle of friends; social connections; friendships
The network of friendships and social relationships a person maintains. Refers to the overall pattern and range of someone's friendships rather than any single friendship.
交友関係が広い。
To have a wide circle of friends.
子どもの交友関係が心配だ。
I'm worried about my child's friendships.
大学に入ってから交友関係が大きく変わった。
My circle of friends changed drastically after entering university.
Compound of 交友 ('friendship; companionship') and 関係 ('relationship; connection'). A useful term for discussing social dynamics, parenting concerns, and personal development. Commonly used when describing someone's social circle as a whole.
USAGE:
- Often paired with 広い ('wide') or 狭い ('narrow') to describe the size of one's social circle.
- Parents and educators use it when discussing children's peer relationships.
- In police or news contexts, 交友関係を調べる means to investigate someone's social connections.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 交友関係が広い: to have a wide circle of friends
- 交友関係が狭い: to have a small circle of friends
- 交友関係を広げる: to expand one's circle of friends
- 交友関係を調べる: to investigate someone's social connections
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 人間関係: human relationships — broader term covering all interpersonal relationships, not just friendships
- 友人関係: friendship; friend relationship — near-synonym focusing specifically on friends
- 人脈: personal connections; network — emphasizes professional or strategic connections rather than casual friendships