péngyou: 朋友 - Friend

• Keywords: friend in Chinese, pengyou, 朋友, how to say friend in Chinese, Chinese friends, Chinese culture friendship, making friends in China, 好朋友, 老朋友, 男朋友, 女朋友.
• Summary: Learn how to say and use “friend” in Chinese with the word 朋友 (péngyou). This comprehensive guide covers its core meaning, cultural significance, and practical usage for beginners. Discover the deep value of friendship in Chinese culture, how to distinguish between a regular friend, a “good friend” (好朋友), and a “boyfriend” (男朋友), and learn essential phrases to help you start making friends in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): péng you
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 1
• Concise Definition: A person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection; a friend.
• In a Nutshell: 朋友 (péngyou) is the universal word for “friend” in Mandarin Chinese. It's a foundational vocabulary word you'll hear and use constantly. While it can be used casually, the concept of a true `朋友` in Chinese culture often carries a deeper weight of loyalty, trust, and mutual obligation than the broad English term “friend” might imply.

• 朋 (péng): This character is composed of two identical “moon” or “flesh” radicals (月) side-by-side. Pictorially, you can imagine two people walking together, shoulder-to-shoulder, as equals. It represents companionship and a group of peers.
• 友 (yǒu): This character's ancient form depicted two hands reaching out and clasping in the same direction. It symbolizes cooperation, help, and the act of being friendly.
• Together, 朋友 (péngyou) combines the idea of companionship among equals (朋) with the act of mutual support and friendliness (友), creating a powerful and complete word for “friend.”

In Chinese culture, friendship is not just a casual social connection; it's a fundamental pillar of one's social and personal life, often considered as important as family ties. The bond between true 朋友 (péngyou) is characterized by loyalty (义气, yìqì), mutual responsibility, and a willingness to help without being asked. This contrasts with the modern Western, particularly American, use of “friend,” which can be very broad. An American might have “work friends,” “gym friends,” or hundreds of “friends” on social media, with varying levels of intimacy and obligation. While Chinese also has different degrees of friendship, calling someone a 朋友 in a serious context implies a significant relationship. You are expected to be there for your `朋友`, and they for you, through thick and thin. This relationship is a key component of building `关系 (guānxi)`, or one's social network, which is crucial for navigating life in China.

朋友 (péngyou) is extremely versatile and used in many everyday situations.

• General Friendship: It's the default term for any friend. You use it when introducing people, talking about your social life, or asking someone about their friends.
• Specifying Closeness: Adjectives are often added to specify the level of friendship.
  • 好朋友 (hǎo péngyou): A “good friend,” someone you are close to.
  • 老朋友 (lǎo péngyou): An “old friend,” someone you have known for a long time. This implies a deep, cherished, and time-tested relationship.
• Romantic Relationships: This is a critical distinction for learners.
  • 男朋友 (nánpéngyou): Boyfriend. The characters are fused together into a single term.
  • 女朋友 (nǚpéngyou): Girlfriend.
  • To refer to a platonic male friend, you must say 一个男的朋友 (yī ge nán de péngyou), literally “a male friend.” (See Nuances and Common Mistakes).
• Informal Address: You can sometimes call out to a stranger or acquaintance with 朋友 (péngyou) to be friendly and informal, similar to saying “Hey man,” or “Hey friend” in English. For example, a taxi driver might say, “朋友, 去哪儿?” (Péngyou, qù nǎ'er?) - “Friend, where are you going?”

• Example 1:
  • 他是我的朋友，王伟。
  • Pinyin: Tā shì wǒ de péngyou, Wáng Wěi.
  • English: He is my friend, Wang Wei.
  • Analysis: A basic and essential introductory sentence. `我的朋友` (wǒ de péngyou) means “my friend.”
• Example 2:
  • 我们是多年的好朋友了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen shì duō nián de hǎo péngyou le.
  • English: We have been good friends for many years.
  • Analysis: The use of `好朋友` (hǎo péngyou) emphasizes the closeness of the relationship. `多年` (duō nián) means “many years.”
• Example 3:
  • 在中国，我交了很多新朋友。
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó, wǒ jiāo le hěn duō xīn péngyou.
  • English: I've made a lot of new friends in China.
  • Analysis: This introduces the key verb phrase `交朋友` (jiāo péngyou), which means “to make friends.”
• Example 4:
  • 这是我的女朋友，不是普通朋友。
  • Pinyin: Zhè shì wǒ de nǚpéngyou, bú shì pǔtōng péngyou.
  • English: This is my girlfriend, not a regular friend.
  • Analysis: This sentence directly highlights the crucial difference between `女朋友` (nǚpéngyou - girlfriend) and `普通朋友` (pǔtōng péngyou - ordinary/platonic friend).
• Example 5:
  • 朋友，请问现在几点了？
  • Pinyin: Péngyou, qǐngwèn xiànzài jǐ diǎn le?
  • English: Friend, excuse me, what time is it now?
  • Analysis: An example of using `朋友` as a friendly, informal way to address a stranger.
• Example 6:
  • 真正的朋友会在你困难的时候帮助你。
  • Pinyin: Zhēnzhèng de péngyou huì zài nǐ kùnnán de shíhou bāngzhù nǐ.
  • English: A true friend will help you when you are in difficulty.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects the cultural expectation of loyalty and support in a Chinese friendship. `真正的` (zhēnzhèng de) means “real” or “true.”
• Example 7:
  • 周末我喜欢和朋友们一起出去玩。
  • Pinyin: Zhōumò wǒ xǐhuān hé péngyoumen yīqǐ chūqù wán.
  • English: On weekends, I like to go out and have fun with friends.
  • Analysis: Note the use of `们 (men)` to make `朋友` plural (`朋友们`), which is common but not always required if the context is clear.
• Example 8:
  • 他不只是我的同事，我们也是朋友。
  • Pinyin: Tā bù zhǐshì wǒ de tóngshì, wǒmen yě shì péngyou.
  • English: He's not just my colleague, we are also friends.
  • Analysis: This shows how Chinese speakers differentiate between relationships like `同事` (tóngshì - colleague) and the more personal connection of `朋友`.
• Example 9:
  • 李先生是我的一个老朋友，我们认识二十年了。
  • Pinyin: Lǐ xiānsheng shì wǒ de yī ge lǎo péngyou, wǒmen rènshi èrshí nián le.
  • English: Mr. Li is an old friend of mine; we've known each other for twenty years.
  • Analysis: `老朋友` (lǎo péngyou) doesn't mean the friend is elderly; it means the friendship is old. It implies a deep and lasting bond.
• Example 10:
  • 别担心，有朋友在，一切都会好的。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, yǒu péngyou zài, yīqiè dōu huì hǎo de.
  • English: Don't worry, your friends are here, everything will be okay.
  • Analysis: A comforting phrase that encapsulates the supportive role of a `朋友`. `有朋友在` (yǒu péngyou zài) literally means “there are friends present,” conveying a strong sense of support.

• CRITICAL MISTAKE: Boyfriend vs. Male Friend. This is the most common and potentially embarrassing mistake for learners.
  • Correct: 他是我的男朋友 (Tā shì wǒ de nánpéngyou). → “He is my boyfriend.” (A single romantic term).
  • Correct: 他是我的一个男的朋友 (Tā shì wǒ de yī ge nán de péngyou). → “He is a male friend of mine.” (Platonic). The particle `的 (de)` is essential here.
  • Incorrect: 他是我的男的朋友 (Tā shì wǒ de nán péngyou). → This is wrong and sounds like “boyfriend.” If you accidentally introduce a platonic friend as your `男朋友`, it can cause significant confusion or amusement. The same logic applies to `女朋友` (girlfriend) vs. `女的朋友` (female friend).
• The Weight of the Word: While you can use `朋友` casually, be aware that for many Chinese people, affirming a true friendship is a serious matter. Declaring “我们是好朋友” (Wǒmen shì hǎo péngyou - “We are good friends”) can be seen as a promise of loyalty and future support.
• “Friend” as a Verb: In English, we can “friend” someone on Facebook. In Chinese, you cannot “friend” someone. You must use the verb phrase 加好友 (jiā hǎoyǒu), which literally means “add good friend,” especially on social media apps like WeChat. For making friends in real life, the verb is 交朋友 (jiāo péngyou).

• 好朋友 (hǎo péngyou) - A good, close friend. More specific than just `朋友`.
• 老朋友 (lǎo péngyou) - An “old friend”; signifies a long-standing and cherished friendship.
• 男朋友 (nánpéngyou) - Boyfriend; a romantic partner.
• 女朋友 (nǚpéngyou) - Girlfriend; a romantic partner.
• 友谊 (yǒuyì) - The abstract noun for “friendship.”
• 交朋友 (jiāo péngyou) - The verb phrase “to make friends.”
• 闺蜜 (guīmì) - A modern, informal term for a female “bestie” or very close female friend.
• 兄弟 (xiōngdì) - Literally “brothers,” but very commonly used between close male friends to show a deep, brotherly bond.
• 同学 (tóngxué) - Classmate. A classmate is not automatically a friend.
• 同事 (tóngshì) - Colleague/co-worker. Like a classmate, this describes a role, not necessarily a personal bond.