友

友 — friend

Learn the correct stroke order for 友 (friend), a 4-stroke kanji.

JLPT N5Grade 24 strokes

Stroke Order

Stroke 0 / 4

On'yomi (音読み)ユウyuu

Kun'yomi (訓読み)ともtomo

Strokes4

Radical又

Frequency#622

Meaningsfriend

Step-by-Step Diagram

Try Writing It

Practice writing each stroke in the correct order and direction. Start from the green dot.

Draw stroke 1 of 4 — start from the green dot

Common Words

学友がくゆうschool friendnoun

交友こうゆうfriend; companion; acquaintancenoun

親友しんゆうclose friend; bosom friend; buddynoun

盟友めいゆうsworn friendnoun

友愛ゆうあいfraternity; friendshipnoun

友好ゆうこうfriendshipnoun

Usage & Examples

Usage Notes

The kanji 友 (friend) is taught in grade 2 of Japanese elementary school and appears at JLPT N5 level. It has 4 strokes with radical 又.

In newspaper frequency rankings, 友 is #622, making it a frequently used kanji.

Example Words in Context

学友がくゆう — school friend

交友こうゆう — friend; companion; acquaintance

親友しんゆう — close friend; bosom friend; buddy

Practice Sheet

Trace then write on your own. Print this row as a PDF practice sheet.

Related Kanji

Same radical (又)

又or again 及reach out 反anti-収income 双pair 取take 受accept 叔uncle

Same reading

右right

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strokes does 友 have?

The kanji 友 (friend) has 4 strokes. Watch the animation above to see the correct order.

What is the correct stroke order for 友?

友 follows the standard Japanese stroke order as taught in schools. Use the step-by-step diagram or the "Try Writing" tool above to practice each stroke in sequence.

What does 友 mean?

友 means: friend. On'yomi readings: ユウ. Kun'yomi readings: とも.

What JLPT level is 友?

友 is a JLPT N5 kanji. This is a beginner-level kanji.