KaiwaGo友 kanji: meaning, readings and stroke order
友 means “friend”. It is written with 4 strokes and is a JLPT N5 kanji.
On’yomi: ユウ (yuu). Kun’yomi: とも (tomo).
How to write 友 (stroke order)
Write 友 in 4 strokes, following the numbers. Each small box adds one stroke; the red line is the stroke to draw.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
General rules: top before bottom, left before right, horizontal before a vertical that crosses it, and a closing bottom stroke last. Writing in the right order makes handwriting readable and helps you count strokes when you look a kanji up.
Practice writing 友
Trace 友 over the faint model with your finger or mouse, following the stroke order above. Turn the model off to write it from memory.
Readings of 友
| On’yomi (Chinese reading) | ユウ (yuu) |
|---|---|
| Kun’yomi (Japanese reading) | とも (tomo) |
The on’yomi is usually used in compound words, the kun’yomi when 友 stands alone or is followed by hiragana. A dot (.) marks where the hiragana ending starts.
Example words with 友
| Word | Reading | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 友達 | ともだち tomodachi | friend | |
| 友人 | ゆうじん yuujin | friend |
友達 (tomodachi) means “friend”.
友人 (yuujin) means “friend”. Also in this word: 人
FAQ
What does 友 mean in Japanese?
友 means “friend”. Common words with it are 友達 (tomodachi, “friend”) and 友人 (yuujin, “friend”).
How many strokes does 友 have?
友 has 4 strokes. Follow the stroke-order diagram on this page from stroke 1 to 4.
How do you read 友?
The on’yomi is ユウ (yuu) and the kun’yomi is とも (tomo). Which one is used depends on the word.
Is 友 on the JLPT N5?
Yes. 友 is kanji number 77 of the 101 N5 kanji on this site.