How to say “friend” in Chinese
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Pinyin colour key: tone 1 (high flat), tone 2 (rising), tone 3 (dipping), tone 4 (falling), neutral.
Word by word
Tone tip
友 is a neutral tone in 朋友, so it is péng-you with a light second syllable, not péng-yǒu. Careful: 男朋友 / 女朋友 mean boyfriend / girlfriend, so for a male friend say 男的朋友 (nán de péngyou).
In a sentence
Tā shì wǒ de hǎo péngyou.
He's my good friend.
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Start freeFrequently asked questions
How do you say "friend" in Chinese?+
"friend" in Mandarin Chinese is 朋友, pronounced péngyou. 友 is a neutral tone in 朋友, so it is péng-you with a light second syllable, not péng-yǒu. Careful: 男朋友 / 女朋友 mean boyfriend / girlfriend, so for a male friend say 男的朋友 (nán de péngyou).
What does 朋友 mean literally?+
朋友 breaks down as 朋 (péng) = friend, 友 (you) = friend (neutral here). Together it means "friend".
How do I get the tones right in péngyou?+
友 is a neutral tone in 朋友, so it is péng-you with a light second syllable, not péng-yǒu. Careful: 男朋友 / 女朋友 mean boyfriend / girlfriend, so for a male friend say 男的朋友 (nán de péngyou).
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