What does 友 mean in Chinese?

友 is a Chinese character with the radical 又.

How do you write 友?

友 is written with 4 strokes, starting from the 又 (again) radical and following standard Chinese stroke order (top to bottom, left to right). See the interactive stroke-order tool for the full animation.

What is the radical of 友?

The radical of 友 is 又 (again, Kangxi radical #29). Other common HSK characters using the same radical include 发, 受, 难, 变.

How many strokes does 友 have?

The Chinese character 友 has 4 strokes.

What HSK level is 友?

On the new HSK exam syllabus, 友 is a character to recognise at HSK 1.

友: Chinese Character Details

友

HSK 1 character 4 strokes Radical: 又 (again)

Quick Answer

友 is a Chinese character with 4 strokes, radical 又 (again), HSK 1 on the new exam.

Full dictionary entry for 友 →Animated stroke-order for 友 →

Etymology

Oracle-bone origin

The oracle-bone form shows two right hands (又) placed side by side, both reaching in the same direction. The image is of two hands working together or extended toward each other in cooperation. This pairing of hands is the pictographic basis for the idea of friendship.

Form evolution

In oracle bone and bronze inscriptions the two 又 components are clearly drawn as hands with fingers visible. Seal script regularised them into stacked curved forms, and clerical script flattened the upper hand into the 𠂇 component while keeping 又 below. The modern 楷书 form preserves this top-and-bottom arrangement of two reduced hand shapes.

How the meaning evolved

The earliest meaning was literally joined hands, extended quickly to companions who act together, then to friends in the general sense. Classical texts already use 友 for peers bound by mutual regard rather than kinship, a distinction from 朋 which originally referred to strung cowries and by extension a cohort. Modern Mandarin keeps the core sense of friend and also uses it as a verb meaning to befriend or be friendly with.

Cultural note

The Confucian 五倫 lists 朋友 as one of the five cardinal relationships, and the compound 朋友 still carries that weight of mutual obligation rather than casual acquaintance. Learners often assume 朋 and 友 are interchangeable, but in set phrases like 良师益友 the 友 specifically marks a peer who improves you.