友
Friend
| on’yomi | kun’yomi | Radicals |
|---|---|---|
| ゆう | とも | ナ + 又 |
Meaning: Friend
The narwhal is sitting on a stool. Why is he sitting there? you told all the people you thought were your friends to stay sitting on the stools if they were indeed still your friend. When you come back to see who’s still left, it turns out only the narwhal is there for you. Narwhals make the greatest of friends.
Imagine the narwhal saying “Hey buddy, I’m still your friend,” and then jumping over to you to give you a nice narwhal hug. You cry, because you’re relieved you have at least one friend left, even if it is a narwhal.
Reading: ゆう
“You (ゆう) are my friend, Narwhal prince,” you say. “Only you.”
To remember this reading, you’ll have to focus in on the ゆう part. It’s only you, narwhal friend. Nobody else.
Vocabulary
Learn the meanings of these words, and the readings as well, if you can.
a 友（とも）＝ Friend
- Meaning: Same as the kanji
- Reading: Since it’s all alone and a single kanji, it’s going to be the kun’yomi reading. Think of your friend Tom (とも).
a 友人（ゆうじん）＝ friend (formal)
- Combo: 友 (friend) + 人 (person)
- Meaning: The meaning also friend, but it’s a more formal word. Why? Because it’s the Chinese reading of the kanji, and Chinese readings tend to be more formal.
- Reading: The on’yomi readings of both kanji put together. So, if you know the on’yomi (and I hope you do), you know the reading of this word.