Translation and Meaning of: 友 - tomo

The Japanese word 友[とも] carries deep and everyday meanings, being essential for those who study the language or are interested in Japanese culture. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and use in different contexts, as well as practical tips for memorization. If you seek to understand how the Japanese view friendship or want to expand your vocabulary, this guide will help you.

Meaning and use of 友 [とも]

友[とも] is a word that means "friend" in Japanese, but with a nuance closer and more intimate than the generic term 友人[ゆうじん]. While 友人 can be used in formal situations, 友 has a more casual and affectionate tone, often used among people who share a relationship of trust.

An interesting detail is that 友 rarely appears alone in daily life. Japanese people usually combine it with other terms, like 親友[しんゆう] (best friend) or 男友[だんとも] (male friend). This characteristic reinforces how the Japanese language values the construction of relationships through language.

Origin and writing of the kanji 友

The kanji 友 is composed of two radicals: 又 (right hand) and ナ (a variation of 又). This combination suggests the idea of "hands that help each other," reflecting the concept of friendship as mutual support. The etymology dates back to Ancient China, where the character already represented bonds of companionship.

In modern writing, 友 maintains this essence, but with an interesting fact: although it is read as とも in isolated words, in compounds like 友情[ゆうじょう] (friendship), the reading changes to ゆう. This duality is common in kanji and highlights the importance of studying vocabulary in context.

Tips for memorizing and using 友[とも]

An effective way to memorize 友[とも] is to associate it with real situations. For example, in animes and dramas, close characters often use 友達[ともだち] (the most common form of "friend"). Observing these dynamics helps to understand when the term sounds natural.

Another tip is to practice with simple sentences like "彼はいい友だ" (he is a good friend). Avoid literal translations from Portuguese, as Japanese prioritizes the implicit relationship. Suki Nihongo, one of the best online dictionaries, provides real examples that illustrate these subtle differences well.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 仲間 (nakama) - Companion, partner; can refer to friends or colleagues in an organization.
• 友人 (yūjin) - Friend; it usually refers to a close or intimate friend.
• とも (tomo) - Friend; a more informal and affectionate way to refer to friends.
• 仲間入りする (nakama iri suru) - Join a group of companions; become part of a team or community.
• 親友 (shinyū) - Best friend; usually implies a deeper and more lasting relationship than "friend".

友

Romaji: tomo
Kana: とも
Type: Noun
L: jlpt-n3

Translation / Meaning: friend;companion;partner

Meaning in English: friend;companion;pal

Definition: Tomo: Refers to close friends and acquaintances.

Example Sentences - (友) tomo

See below some example sentences:

類は友を呼ぶ

rui wa tomo o yobu

Birds of a feather flock together

Kindly call a friend

• 類 (rui) - means "type" or "category"
• は (wa) - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 友 (tomo) - It means "friend"
• を (wo) - Particle indicating the direct object of the sentence
• 呼ぶ (yobu) - means "to call" or "to summon"

遠方から来た友達に会いに行きたいです。

Toofu kara kita tomodachi ni ai ni ikitai desu

I want to go meet a friend who came from far away.

I want to go see a friend from afar.

• 遠方 (enpou) - distant
• から (kara) - of
• 来た (kita) - came
• 友達 (tomodachi) - friend
• に (ni) - for
• 会いに (aini) - find
• 行きたい (ikitai) - I want to go
• です (desu) - is

酒場で友達と楽しい時間を過ごしました。

Sakaba de tomodachi to tanoshii jikan wo sugoshimashita

I had fun with my friends at the bar.

• 酒場 (sakaba) - bar/pub
• で (de) - Article indicating the location where an action takes place.
• 友達 (tomodachi) - amigo(s)
• と (to) - particle indicating "with"
• 楽しい (tanoshii) - divertido
• 時間 (jikan) - tempo/horas
• を (wo) - Article indicating the object of the action
• 過ごしました (sugoshimashita) - spent/had (a good time)

金曜日には友達と遊びに行く予定です。

Kin'yōbi ni wa tomodachi to asobi ni iku yotei desu

I have plans to go out with friends on Friday.

I plan to go play with my friends on Friday.

• 金曜日 - Friday
• には - time indication, "on Friday"
• 友達 - friends
• と - particle that indicates company, "with"
• 遊びに行く - go to have fun
• 予定 - plan, schedule
• です - verb ser/estar in the present, "is/is"

私は友達を励ますために彼女にエールを送ります。

Watashi wa tomodachi o hagemasu tame ni kanojo ni ēru o okurimasu

I send an encouragement message to my friend to encourage her.

I send her a beer to encourage my friends.

• 私 (watashi) - personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - particle that marks the topic of the sentence, indicating that the subject is "I"
• 友達 (tomodachi) - noun meaning "friend"
• を (wo) - particle that marks the direct object of the sentence, indicating that "friend" is the object of the action
• 励ます (hagemasu) - verb meaning "to encourage"
• ために (tameni) - expression that indicates the purpose of the action, in this case "to encourage the friend"
• 彼女 (kanojo) - noun meaning "she"
• に (ni) - particle indicating the recipient of the action, in this case "she" is the recipient of the encouragement
• エール (eeru) - noun meaning "support" or "encouragement"
• を (wo) - particle that marks the direct object of the sentence, indicating that "support" is the object of the action
• 送ります (okurimasu) - verb meaning "to send"

犬は忠実な友達です。

Inu wa chūjitsu na tomodachi desu

Dogs are loyal friends.

Dogs are faithful friends.

• 犬 (いぬ) - dog
• は - Topic particle
• 忠実 (ちゅうじつ) - loyal
• な - Particle indicating adjective
• 友達 (ともだち) - friend
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

友達は大切です。

Tomodachi wa taisetsu desu

Friends are important.

Friends are important.

• 友達 (tomodachi) - friend
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 大切 (taisetsu) - important, valuable
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

主人は私の親友です。

Shujin wa watashi no shinyuu desu

My husband is my best friend.

My husband is my best friend.

• 主人 - means "husband" or "spouse" in Japanese.
• は - partítulo gramatical que indica o tópico da frase, neste caso, "o marido".
• 私 - personal pronoun meaning "I" in Japanese.
• の - possessive pronoun that indicates ownership, in this case, "my".
• 親友 - It means "close friend" or "best friend" in Japanese.
• です - verb to be in the present, indicating that the sentence is in the present tense and the statement is true.

キャンパスで友達を作りたいです。

Kyampusu de tomodachi wo tsukuritai desu

I want to make friends on campus.

• キャンパス (kyanpasu) - campus
• で (de) - in
• 友達 (tomodachi) - amigo/amiga
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 作りたい (tsukuritai) - want to do/create
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar in the present

マイケルは私の親友です。

Maikeru wa watashi no shinyuu desu

Michael is my best friend.

• マイケル - first name in Japanese
• は - Japanese topic particle
• 私 - Japanese personal pronoun meaning "I"
• の - Possession particle in Japanese
• 親友 - Japanese noun meaning "close friend"
• です - verb ser/ estar in Japanese, indicating that the sentence is in the present tense and is affirmative