The Meaning of tomodachi [友達] In Japanese

友達
ともだち
Romaji: tomodachi N5

What does 友達 mean?

Translation and Meaning

friend, friends

Definition

What does 友達 mean? It denotes a friend—a person you have a friendly relationship with and choose to spend time with. In everyday Japanese, it can refer to a single close friend or a small circle of friends, typically used in casual contexts.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • Casual term for a friend or close acquaintance; widely used in everyday speech
  • Can indicate multiple friends when the context implies plurality

Composition

  • 友: core meaning is friendship and social connection
  • 達: serves as a plural/collective suffix here, often read たち (tachi); together they convey ‘friends’ or a circle of friends

Usage

Used in casual conversation, social media, and informal writing to refer to a friend or a small group of friends. It contrasts with 友人, which is more formal or written; in contexts like school or among peers, 友達 is common; ownership and relationships are shown with 私の or 君の before the noun.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: visualize two people as the two small strokes in 友 forming a bond, and imagine 達 as a path they walk together to reach each other; this helps recall tomodachi and the idea of a group of friends.

Variations

  • 友人 (yuujin) — formal or literate term for a friend
  • 知人 (chijin) — acquaintance
  • 仲間 (nakama) — companion or member of a group

Example Phrases

  • 駅で友達を迎えに行く予定です。
    Eki de tomodachi o mukae ni iku yotei desu.
    I’m planning to go to the station to pick up my friend.
    Lista:
    • 駅で (eki de) – at the station
    • 友達を (tomodachi o) – my friend
    • 迎えに (mukae ni) – to pick up
    • 行く (iku) – go
    • 予定です (yotei desu) – plan
    In this sentence, 「迎え」 with に forms 迎えに行く, meaning ‘to go to pick someone up’.
  • 放課後、仲良しの友達と一緒に映画を見に行く。
    Hōkago, nakayoshi no tomodachi to issho ni eiga o mi ni iku.
    After school, I go with a close friend to see a movie.
    Lista:
    • 放課後 (Hōkago) – after school
    • 仲良し (nakayoshi) – close
    • の (no) – of
    • 友達 (tomodachi) – friend
    • と (to) – with
    • 一緒に (issho ni) – together
    • 映画 (eiga) – movie
    • を (o) – (object marker)
    • 見に行く (mi ni iku) – go to see
    Uses 「仲良し」 as a noun meaning ‘close friend’, linked to 「友達」 by 「の」 to form the compound meaning ‘a close friend’. Also uses 「一緒に」 to indicate doing something together and 「見に行く」 to express ‘go to see’.
  • 私たちは 共通の趣味で すぐに 友達になり 話が盛り上がった。
    Watashitachi wa kyoutsuu no shumi de sugu ni tomodachi ni nari, hanashi ga moriagatta.
    We quickly became friends through our common hobby, and the conversation got lively.
    Lista:
    • 私たちは (watashitachi wa) – we
    • 共通の趣味で (kyoutsuu no shumi de) – through our common hobby
    • すぐに (sugu ni) – quickly
    • 友達になり (tomodachi ni nari) – to become friends
    • 話が盛り上がった (hanashi ga moriagatta) – the conversation got lively
    The target word 「共通」 means ‘common’; here it forms the phrase 「共通の趣味」 meaning ‘shared hobby’, and 「で」 marks the means.
  • 今日は 浜辺で 友達と 話しながら 貝を 拾って 家に 持ち帰る。
    Kyou wa hamabe de tomodachi to hanashi nagara kai o hirotte ie ni mochikaeru.
    Today at the beach, I talk with my friends, pick up shells, and take them home.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (kyou wa) – today
    • 浜辺で (hamabe de) – at the beach
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with friends
    • 話しながら (hanashi nagara) – while talking
    • 貝を (kai o) – shells
    • 拾って (hirotte) – picking up
    • 家に (ie ni) – to home
    • 持ち帰る (mochikaeru) – take home
    「浜辺」 marks the seashore; with で it indicates the location of the actions in the sentence.
  • 公園で バットを 拾って 友達と 野球を 練習した。
    kouen de batto o hirotte tomodachi to yakyuu o renshuu shita.
    I picked up a bat in the park and practiced baseball with a friend.
    Lista:
    • 公園で (kouen de) – in the park
    • バットを (batto o) – a bat
    • 拾って (hirotte) – picked up
    • 友達と (tomodachi to) – with a friend
    • 野球を (yakyuu o) – baseball
    • 練習した (renshuu shita) – practiced
    「バット」 is a borrowed word meaning ‘bat’; in this sentence it marks the direct object with を.
友達