友 meaning and stroke order
Friend, companion; fraternity
How to write 友, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 友
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- friend
How 友 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two hands 又 joined, representing friendship; 又 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 又 (and), shared by 21 characters on this site.
How to remember 友
The etymology shows two hands 又 joined together, which is what friends do. Look for the hand 又 at the bottom of 友 (yǒu) and picture another hand reaching over to hold it.
友 rarely stands alone in speech. It appears inside words like 朋友 (péngyou), 网友 (wǎngyǒu) and 友好 (yǒuhǎo). Example: 他是我的好朋友。(Tā shì wǒ de hǎo péngyou.) He is my good friend.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 友 with 反 (fǎn, opposite) or 发 (fā), since all share a similar top stroke over 又. In 朋友 (péngyou), the second syllable is usually said in the neutral tone, so do not stress it as a full third tone.
Common words with 友
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 朋友 | péngyou | friend | HSK 1 |
| 女朋友 | nǚpéngyou | girlfriend | HSK 1 |
| 男朋友 | nánpéngyou | boyfriend | HSK 1 |
| 小朋友 | xiǎopéngyǒu | child; kid (used to refer to a child, or by an adult to address a child, or, in Taiwan, to | HSK 1 |
| 网友 | wǎngyǒu | online friend; netizen; Internet user | HSK 1 |
| 朋友们 | péngyoumen | HSK 1 | |
| 老朋友 | lǎo péngyou | old friend; (slang) period | HSK 2 |
| 友好 | yǒuhǎo | friendly; amicable; close friend | HSK 2 |
| 交朋友 | jiāo péngyou | to make friends; (dialect) to start an affair with sb | HSK 2 |
| 好友 | hǎoyǒu | close friend; pal | HSK 4 |
| 友谊 | yǒuyì | companionship; fellowship | HSK 5 |
| 战友 | zhànyǒu | comrade-in-arms; battle companion | HSK 6 |
| 友善 | yǒushàn | friendly | HSK 7-9 |
| 盟友 | méngyǒu | ally | HSK 7-9 |
友 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 友
Learning 友 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 友
How many strokes are in 友?
友 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 友 mean?
友 (yǒu) means friend, companion; fraternity. A common word with it is 朋友 (péngyou), meaning "friend".
How do you pronounce 友?
友 is pronounced yǒu, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 友?
The radical of 友 is 又, which carries the idea of "and". Dictionaries list 友 under this radical.
Is 友 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 友 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
Can I say 友 by itself to mean friend?
Not in everyday speech. Use 朋友 (péngyou) instead. 友 alone sounds literary and mostly appears in compounds or set phrases.
What does 小朋友 (xiǎopéngyǒu) mean if it is not "little friend"?
It means child or kid. Adults also use it to address children kindly, like saying 小朋友，你好 (xiǎopéngyǒu, nǐ hǎo) to greet a child.