Japanese symbol for “chum”
親友
しんゆう
Romaji: shin'yuu
close friend; bosom friend; buddy; crony
In Japanese, chum is 親友, read しんゆう (shin'yuu).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n close friend; bosom friend; buddy; crony; chum
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “chum”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 仲良し | なかよし nakayoshi | close friendship; close friend; good friend |
| 合い口 | あいくち aikuchi | chum; pal |
| 仲良しこよし | なかよしこよし nakayoshikoyoshi | close friend; good friend; bosom buddy |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 母親 | ははおや hahaoya | mother |
| 父親 | ちちおや chichioya | father |
| 両親 | りょうしん ryoushin | parents; both parents |
| 親子 | おやこ oyako | parent and child |
| 親族 | しんぞく shinzoku | relative; relation; kin |
| 友達 | ともだち tomodachi | friend; companion |
| 友人 | ゆうじん yuujin | friend |
| 友情 | ゆうじょう yuujou | friendship; fellowship; camaraderie |
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.