The Meaning of kōryū [交流] In Japanese

交流
こうりゅう
Romaji: kōryū N4

What does 交流 mean?

Translation and Meaning

exchange, interaction, communication, intercultural contact

Definition

交流 means mutual exchange or interaction between people, groups, or systems; it refers to sharing information, ideas, cultures, or resources and the ongoing relationships and influence that result.

Type

Noun (suru-verb)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • social interaction and the exchange of information, ideas, or culture between individuals or groups
  • cultural exchange, such as programs, study abroad, or artistic collaboration between communities or nations
  • interorganizational or international exchange, including business, academic, or community networks
  • in a broader sense, contact or reciprocal influence between phenomena, technologies, or communities

Etymology

etimologia From the kanji 交 (to cross, mingle) and 流 (flow); the compound encodes the idea of flow and interaction between entities, with the reading こうりゅう (kōryū) being established in modern Japanese.

Origin

Origins trace to classical Japanese usage with Sino-Japanese compounds; the concept gained prominence in Edo-period administration and social life, and in modern times expanded to cover cultural, economic, and informational exchange.

Composition

  • 交: crossing, mingling, or coming together
  • 流: flow, current
  • Together: the movement and meeting of people, ideas, or goods leading to exchange

Usage

Used in formal writing and everyday speech to describe mutual interaction or exchange between people, organizations, or cultures; it often appears with する to form verbs, and collocates with phrases like 文化交流, 学術交流, 経済交流 in official discourse or academic writing.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: two streams flow toward each other and cross; imagine people crossing paths to share ideas, so 交流 becomes the meeting point where flows exchange.

Variations

  • 相互交流 (sōgo kōryū) — mutual exchange
  • 文化交流 (bunka kōryū) — cultural exchange
  • 経済交流 (keizai kōryū) — economic exchange
  • 交流会 (kōryūkai) — exchange meeting
  • 孤立 (koritsu) — isolation (antonym)

Example Phrases

  • 新しい職場で 同僚と 交流を 深める ために ランチ に 行った。
    Atarashii shokuba de dōryō to kōryū o fukameru tame ni ranchi ni itta.
    I went to lunch to deepen my interactions with my colleagues at my new workplace.
    Lista:
    • 新しい職場で (atarashii shokuba de) – at the new workplace
    • 同僚と (dōryō to) – with colleagues
    • 交流を (kōryū o) – interaction
    • 深める (fukameru) – to deepen
    • ために (tame ni) – in order to
    • ランチ (ranchi) – lunch
    • に (ni) – to
    • 行った (itta) – went
    Here, 「交流」 means interaction/exchange; used with を深める to say ‘to deepen interactions with others’.
交流