Translation and Meaning of: 友人 - yuujin

The word 「友人」 (yuujin) is composed of two kanji: 「友」 (yuu) which means "friend" and 「人」 (jin) which indicates "person". Etymologically, the combination of these characters reveals the basic idea of "friendly person" or simply "friend". 「友」 can be traced back to the ancient Chinese civilization, where it originally represented friendship between equals. 「人」 is one of the oldest characters in Chinese writing, symbolizing the figure of a person or human being. The union of the two suggests an understanding of friendship in personal and interpersonal terms.

In the Japanese language, 「友人」 (yuujin) refers to a friend but is generally used in a slightly more formal or neutral context compared to other similar words like 「友達」 (tomodachi). While 「友達」 is used more frequently in informal contexts and in references to close friends, 「友人」 can be employed in situations where one wishes to maintain a certain level of formality or distance. For example, when referring to a friend from a professional environment or to a relationship that, while friendly, is not intimate.

The origin of the use of 「友人」 in Japan dates back to cultural and linguistic exchanges with ancient China, from where many kanji were adopted and adapted. The word was preserved and evolved in the Japanese language, maintaining the sense of friendship but gaining nuances of formality. This reveals a lot about Japanese culture, where context and the way to address others are highly valued and reflect the nuances of social relationships.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 仲間 (Nakama) - Companion, colleague, person from the same group
• 友達 (Tomodachi) - Friend, a person with whom one has friendship.
• 伴侶 (Hanryo) - Partner, usually in the context of an intimate relationship.
• 連れ (Tsure) - Companion, a person who is with someone.
• 仲間同士 (Nakama doshi) - Among companions, among colleagues
• 仲間たち (Nakama-tachi) - Companions, friends, used to refer to a group of people.

友人

Romaji: yuujin
Kana: ゆうじん
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: friend

Meaning in English: friend

Definition: A close person with whom you have friendship and trust.

Example Sentences - (友人) yuujin

See below some example sentences:

彼女は病気の友人を見舞うために病院に行きました。

Kanojo wa byouki no yuujin wo mimau tame ni byouin ni ikimashita

She went to the hospital to visit a sick friend.

She went to the hospital to see her sick friend.

• 彼女 (kanojo) - she
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 病気 (byouki) - disease
• の (no) - Possessive particle
• 友人 (yuujin) - amigo/amiga
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 見舞う (mimau) - visit (someone who is ill)
• ために (tameni) - for
• 病院 (byouin) - hospital
• に (ni) - Location particle
• 行きました (ikimashita) - foi (past tense of ir)

私の友人はとても親切です。

Watashi no yuujin wa totemo shinsetsu desu

My friend is very kind.

• 私 (watashi) - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の (no) - possession particle indicating that "friend" belongs to "me"
• 友人 (yuujin) - noun meaning "friend" in Japanese
• は (wa) - topic particle indicating that "friend" is the subject of the sentence
• とても (totemo) - adverb meaning "very" in Japanese
• 親切 (shinsetsu) - adjective meaning "gentle" or "kind" in Japanese
• です (desu) - linking verb indicating that the sentence is in the present tense and is affirmative

私の配偶者は私の最高の友人です。

Watashi no haigūsha wa watashi no saikō no yūjin desu

My spouse is my best friend.

• 私 - The personal pronoun that means "I" in Japanese.
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 配偶者 - noun meaning "spouse" in Japanese
• は - particle indicating the theme or subject of the sentence
• 最高 - adjective meaning "better" or "superior" in Japanese
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 友人 - noun meaning "friend" in Japanese
• です - verb to be in the polite Japanese form