友 Kanji: Meaning, Readings and Stroke Order

友: friend; companion; friendship. JLPT N5; 4 strokes.

Readings

On readings

ユウ

Kun readings

とも

Romaji

yuu, tomo

Study notes

友 means 'friend, companion'; the kanji is formed by two hands (ナ and 又).

On reading: ユウ in 友人 (ゆうじん, friend, more formal), 友情 (ゆうじょう, friendship), 友好 (ゆうこう, friendship between countries or groups), 親友 (しんゆう, close friend), 旧友 (きゅうゆう, old friend).

Kun reading: とも, 'friend': 友達 (ともだち, friend), the everyday word; 幼友達 (おさなともだち, childhood friend).

Remember: in 友達 (ともだち) there is 達, a plural suffix, but the word today also indicates a single friend.

Example words

• 友だち (ともだち) — friend
• 親友 (しんゆう) — best friend; close friend

Example sentences

友だちと映画を見ました。

tomodachi to eiga wo mimashita.

I watched a movie with a friend.

Stroke order

Follow the steps in order. Each new stroke is highlighted.

Stroke paths: KanjiVG, CC BY-SA 3.0. Sequential diagrams derived from the original paths.