Meaning of Nakama – Comrade in Japanese

Have you heard the expression Nakama? You might think it means partners, but do you really understand the true meaning? In this article, we will examine the meaning of Nakama in depth.

Have you heard this term used in any anime or manga like One Piece?

We recommend reading:

• How Many Episodes Does One Piece Have?
• Pirate Animes + Animes Similar to One Piece
• The 20 Best Iyashikei Animes

What Does Nakama Mean?

In Japanese, the word nakama [仲間] means “someone who is in the same group as you” or can refer to the group itself, whether friends, colleagues, club partners, and others.

Nakama [仲間] is a Japanese word composed of the ideograms [仲] which means “relationship,” and [間] which means “space or time.” In other words, this word refers to some kind of relationship you have with someone over some time or interval.

It generally refers to a member of the same category, company; companion; colleague; associate; comrade; partner; and circle of friends.

Unlike friendship, it can refer more to a type of temporary partnership or work colleague, or team. Below is a list of meanings of Nakama:

• Companion;
• Comrade;
• Colleague;
• Group;
• Partner;
• Associate;
• Circle of friends;
• Work colleague;

This term can be used to refer to a member of the same category, as in the case of One Piece where Luffy refers to the crew as Nakama. It can refer to people from a group, company, circle of friends, set or gang.

In RPG games, the word nakama usually refers to the “party” or group of people. Those groups that you form either online or offline to battle together.

The Origin of the Word Nakama

In the Edo period, when trade and industry developed dramatically, there were so many companies. There were specialists in inks, specialists in nails, specialists in medicinal herb seeds, professionals with paper, and many others.

These merchants came together to create an official union called Kabunakama with the aim of protecting their acquired rights and managing actions among the members.

The main objective was for merchants and industries to monopolize the production and sale of goods, preventing the price of goods from falling too much.

There were two organizations of privileged ties for merchants called Omenkabu and Wankabu that created and were permitted by the Bakufu to control and create the organizations.

The numbers of Kabunakama were limited, making the right to join transferable or sellable like shares. There were systems of rules, donations, and trades among the groups.

This group of associations gave the current meaning to Nakama which used to be a simple word indicating a commercial and organizational relationship.

Difference Between Nakama and Tomodachi

Some people ask about the difference between Nakama and Tomodachi. Sometimes we see both being used with great feeling in anime, is there one that is superior to the other?

Tomodachi [友達] which means friend, refers to personal feelings of intimacy and affection, it does not necessarily involve any activity or share the same ideas as Nakama.

In the case of Nakama [仲間], people who share the same goal or work together in a group or organization are not necessarily close friends, although they often are.

Both words are independent; you can be friends with someone you have known for a short time, or you do not need to do something special with your friend to call them a friend.

Similarly, you can be a partner or colleague of someone with whom you will never have enough intimacy to call them a friend. In summary, the word Nakama should be used:

1. When there is a relationship of doing things together;
2. When they are people of the same occupation, status, etc.;
3. When they do things of the same type or category;

We recommend reading:

• Arubaito – Part-time Work in Japan
• 14 Popular Dating Apps in Japan

Different Ways to Use Nakama

Nakama goes far beyond a noun; this word is often used together to create new expressions within the Japanese language. In online games, you find nakamairi [仲間入り] when you want to join a group.

By combining the expression with another verb, you can end up slightly changing the meaning of Nakama to something like friend or partner.

Words like bad company can be written as furyonakama [不良仲間] which can be seen in anime like Tokyo Revenger. It is worth noting that Nakama [中間] also refers to a city in Fukuoka.

Below are some examples of usage:

• [クラス仲間] “kurasunakama” – Classmate(s)
• [遊び仲間] “asobinakama” – Playmate(s)
• [ゴルフ仲間] “gorufunakama” – Golf Friends
• [仕事仲間] “shigotonakama” – Work Colleagues
• [ヤクザ仲間] “yakuzanakama” – Yakuza Clan
• [演劇仲間] “engékinakama” – Theater Group
• [医者仲間] “ishanakama” – Group of Doctors
• [監獄仲間]”Kangokunakama” – Prison Friend
• [旅行仲間] “ryokounakama” – Travel Companion