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Two-character design guide

Chinese Symbol for Friendship 友谊: Tattoo & Meaning

友谊 (yǒu yì) is the common Chinese word for friendship. It describes the relationship itself, while 朋友 usually means a friend or friends.

Pinyin yǒu yìStrokes 14 across 2 charactersMeaning friendshipTraditional 友誼

Quick answer: 友谊 (yǒu yì) means friendship or a bond between people. 朋友 usually means a friend or friends, while 友好 means friendly or amicable; the words describe different subjects.

What does 友谊 mean?

友谊 (yǒu yì) means friendship. 友 relates to a friend or friendly relationship, and 谊 contributes the sense of an appropriate bond, friendship or mutual regard. The two characters form a fixed modern noun used in writing, speeches, gifts and personal designs.

友谊 and 朋友 are not the same word

朋友 (péng you) usually means a friend or friends. 友谊 means the friendship or bond shared between people. A design using 朋友 can read as the everyday noun “friend,” while 友谊 is closer to the concept “friendship.” Choose according to whether the intended message is a person or a relationship.

Simplified 友谊 and traditional 友誼

友谊 is the simplified form. The traditional form is 友誼, where 谊 becomes 誼. Do not mix simplified and traditional forms elsewhere in the same design.

Is 友谊 suitable for a tattoo or design?

Yes, if the intended meaning is friendship. The phrase has 14 strokes across two characters and works in a horizontal or compact block. Keep the left-right structure of 谊 clear and allow enough space for the speech component; it should not collapse into a dense line at a small size.

Design notes

ScriptRegular script keeps the 言 component in 谊 / 誼 distinct and countable.
ScaleUse a moderate size rather than squeezing the phrase into a narrow wrist band.
ContextUse it to describe a bond, not to promise loyalty or a lifelong relationship.

Is 友谊 used in Chinese names?

友谊 is usually a word, motto or design phrase rather than a standard personal given name. A personal name using the two characters would need a full surname, sound and written-form review.

What it does not mean

友谊 expresses the idea of friendship. It does not guarantee that a relationship will last, prevent conflict or replace the responsibilities and boundaries of a real friendship.

Common mistakes

  • Using 朋友 when the intended meaning is the abstract noun “friendship.”
  • Mixing simplified 友谊 and traditional 友誼.
  • Compressing the denser 谊 character in a small design.
  • Treating the phrase as a promise of loyalty or a permanent relationship.

Chinese friendship character questions

What is the Chinese symbol for friendship?

友谊 (yǒu yì) is the common two-character word for friendship. 朋友 usually means a friend or friends rather than the abstract bond.

What is the difference between 友谊, 朋友 and 友好?

友谊 is the noun for friendship or a bond. 朋友 usually means a friend or friends, while 友好 means friendly or amicable. A design should match whether it describes a relationship, a person or a manner.

Is 友谊 traditional or simplified?

友谊 is simplified and 友誼 is traditional. Keep one writing system consistent throughout the design.

Does 友谊 promise a lifelong friendship?

No. It expresses the idea of friendship or a bond; it does not guarantee loyalty, permanence or a particular relationship outcome.

Is 友谊 used in Chinese names?

It is usually a word or motto rather than a standard personal given name. A personal name using the two characters would need a full surname, sound and written-form review.

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Reference data

Character identity and the fields below are taken from the Unicode Unihan database (Unicode 18.0.0), the reference dataset published by the Unicode Consortium. Stroke counts follow the Unihan counting convention.

友U+53CB · 4 strokes (Unihan kTotalStrokes) · radical 又 29 · Mandarin yǒu · Cantonese jau5 · “friend, companion; fraternity”
谊U+8C0A · 10 strokes (Unihan kTotalStrokes) · radical 讠 149 · Mandarin yì · Cantonese ji4 · “friendship; appropriate, suitable”

Source: Unicode Unihan database, Unicode 18.0.0, generated 2026-09-25.

Word comparison

Friendship in Chinese: 友谊, 朋友, 知己 and 伙伴

Friendship in Chinese is 友谊 (yǒu yì), but the word for a friend is different. English “friend” and “friendship” map onto separate Chinese words, so a design that means “friendship” should not use the everyday noun for a friend. The table separates the bond from the person, and from words for a close friend or companion.

Friendship in Chinese: 友谊, 朋友, 知己 and related words
ChinesePinyinCore senseUse and caution
友谊yǒu yìFriendship (the bond)The abstract noun for friendship; the right choice for a bond, not a person.
友yǒuFriend; friendlyA core character for friend or friendship; rarely used alone in modern speech.
朋友péng youFriend, friendsThe everyday noun for a friend; it names people, not the relationship.
谊yìFriendship; appropriate bondUsually appears inside 友谊 or 情谊; not used alone.
知己zhī jǐA close, understanding friendA deeper, more intimate word than 朋友; implies real understanding.
伙伴huǒ bànPartner, companionSuggests working or travelling together, not necessarily emotional closeness.
兄弟xiōng dìBrothers; close male friendsLiterally “brothers”; used for very close friends, usually men.

The you yi in 友谊 is the ordinary word for friendship, while 朋友 means a friend or friends. If the intended meaning is the bond, use 友谊; if it is the people, use 朋友; if it is a very close friend, 知己 is stronger. Choose by whether the design names a relationship or a person.

Questions about friendship in Chinese

What is friendship in Chinese?

Friendship in Chinese is 友谊 (yǒu yì), the two-character noun for the bond between friends. The word for a friend is 朋友 (péng you).

What does you yi mean?

You yi is the romanisation of 友谊 (yǒu yì), which means friendship. 友 relates to a friend and 谊 to an appropriate bond or mutual regard.

What is the difference between 友谊 and 朋友?

友谊 means friendship, the relationship itself, while 朋友 means a friend or friends. A design about the bond uses 友谊; a design about people uses 朋友.

Is 友谊 suitable for a tattoo?

Yes, if the meaning is friendship. It works as a horizontal or compact block, but keep the denser 谊 character clear so it does not collapse at small sizes.

How many strokes does 友谊 have?

友 has 4 strokes and 谊 has 10 in simplified form, for 14 strokes. The traditional form 誼 is denser than 谊.

What is the difference between 友谊, 友情 and 朋友?

友谊 is the formal noun for friendship as a bond, 友情 is warmer and more personal, and 朋友 means “friend,” naming the person.

What does 友谊赛 mean?

友谊赛 means “a friendly match,” a game played for goodwill rather than for competition. It is a common use of 友谊.

How is 友谊 written in traditional Chinese?

友谊 in simplified Chinese is 友誼 in traditional Chinese, because 谊 becomes 誼 with the full 言 radical.

Does 友谊 guarantee a lasting friendship?

No. It expresses the value or bond of friendship. It does not guarantee loyalty, longevity or any outcome.

Writing and usage

Writing 友谊: 14 strokes across two characters

友谊 is a two-character word: 友 (yǒu) has 4 strokes and 谊 (yì) has 10 in simplified form, for 14 strokes. 友 is open and simple, built around a hand-like left part. 谊 combines the speech radical 讠 with 宜, and its traditional form is 誼, which uses the full 言 radical. If the design uses traditional characters, write 友誼 consistently rather than mixing 友 and 誼 with 谊.

友谊, 友情 and 朋友: related but not the same

友谊 is the formal noun for friendship as a relationship or a bond. 友情 means friendship or friendly feeling, and it often sounds a little warmer and more personal. 朋友 means “friend” — it names the person, not the bond. 友好 means friendly or amicable and describes a manner or a relationship between groups. So 我们之间的友谊 (“the friendship between us”) is about the bond, 他是我的朋友 (“he is my friend”) is about the person, and 友好的态度 (“a friendly attitude”) is about manner. Using the right one keeps the sentence precise.

友谊 in common expressions

友谊 appears in 友谊赛 (“a friendly match”), 深厚的友谊 (“a deep friendship”), 建立友谊 (“to build a friendship”) and 友谊长存 (“may the friendship endure”). 友情岁月 (“years of friendship”) is a common phrase in songs and writing. These show that 友谊 is often used in formal, public or ceremonial settings, while 友情 and 朋友 dominate casual speech.

Friendship as a design and what it does not promise

友谊 is a word rather than a single symbol, so a design carries both characters together. As a tattoo or gift motif, it expresses the value of a friendship; it does not guarantee loyalty, longevity or a particular relationship outcome. Confirm the exact form with a fluent reader, decide on simplified 友谊 or traditional 友誼, and test the two characters side by side at the final size, since 谊 is noticeably denser than 友.

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