Japanese word

仲良し

Pronunciation

Romajinakayoshi

Meaning

  • nounclose friend

Example

妹と私は仲良しです。imōto to watashi wa naka yo shi de su

My younger sister and I are close friends.

Illustration for 仲良し (close friend)

More examples

兄とは子どものころから仲良しです。ani to wa ko do mo no ko ro ka ra naka yo shi de su

My older brother and I have been close friends since childhood.

Core concept

Expresses an easy, friendly bond between people and can also name the people who have that bond.

Common phrases

  • 仲良しになるnaka yo shi ni na ru

    become close friends

  • 大の仲良しdai no naka yo shi

    very close friends

  • 仲良し同士naka yo shi dō shi

    close friends

Similar words

親友shinyū: A best friend with whom a person shares a particularly close bond.
友達tomodachi: A friend who is known and liked in everyday relationships.
友人yūjin: A friend referred to in a neutral or somewhat formal way.

Definition in Japanese

互いに親しみを感じて仲がよい人。また、仲がよいこと。taga i ni shita shi mi o kan ji te naka ga yo i hito ma ta naka ga yo i ko to

Word origin

The Japanese compound 仲良し (nakayoshi) joins 仲 (naka, "relationship") with 良し (yoshi, "good") to describe a good human relationship.

Usage tips

  • In 仲良しグループ (nakayoshi gurūpu), the word identifies a group whose members have a close bond, not merely people gathered for the same activity.

Other meanings

  • close friendshipnoun

Opposites

  • 不仲funakabad relationshipnoun

Word lists with this word