友 — JLPT N5 Kanji

友 (yuu/tomo): friend. JLPT N5 kanji.

Character Info

Kanji Strokes JLPT Radical Radical Meaning
4 N5 hand/again

Readings

Type Reading Romaji Notes
On (音) ユウ yuu Chinese-origin (音読み)
Kun (訓) とも tomo friend

Meanings

  1. friend
  2. friendship

Vocabulary

Word Reading Romaji English JLPT
友達 ともだち tomodachi friend(s) N5
友人 ゆうじん yuujin friend (formal) N5
友好 ゆうこう yuukou friendship / amity N3
親友 しんゆう shin'yuu close friend / best friend N4
友情 ゆうじょう yuujou friendship / bonds of friendship N3

Stroke Order

1-2. Two diverging strokes (like 𠂇 or ノ+oblique). 3-4. 又 (hand/again) at bottom right.

Mnemonic

Two hands (又) reaching toward each other — friends reaching out.

Common Mistakes

友 (friend) vs 反 (anti/oppose) — 反 has a different top stroke; 友 is rounder in origin.