Japanese word

旧知

Pronunciation

Romajikyūchi

Meaning

  • nounold acquaintance

Example

旧知の人が訪ねてきました。kyū chi no hito ga tazu ne te ki ma shi ta

An old acquaintance came to visit.

Illustration for 旧知 (old acquaintance)

More examples

卒業式で旧知と久しぶりに話しました。sotsu gyō shiki de kyū chi to hisa shi bu ri ni hana shi ma shi ta

I spoke with an old acquaintance for the first time in a long while at the graduation ceremony.

Core concept

Refers to a person known for a long time, often suggesting a relationship that reaches back to an earlier period.

Common phrases

  • 旧知の仲kyū chi no naka

    relationship with an old acquaintance

  • 旧知と再会するkyū chi to sai kai su ru

    reunite with an old acquaintance

Similar words

旧友kyūyū: A friend known from a long time ago, often from an earlier period of life.
知人chijin: A person known or recognized through a social or personal connection.
昔なじみmukashinajimi: A person known since the distant past, without necessarily being a close friend.

Definition in Japanese

昔から面識があり、知り合いである人。mukashi ka ra men shiki ga a ri shi ri a i de a ru hito

Word origin

旧知 (kyūchi) is a Sino-Japanese compound of 旧 (kyū, "former") and 知 (chi, "knowing"), linking past time with personal knowledge.

Usage tips

  • 旧知 (kyūchi) is more formal than a casual word for a friend, so it is common in written descriptions of long-standing relationships.

Other meanings

  • old friendnoun

Opposites

  • 初対面hatsutaimenfirst meetingnoun

Word lists with this word