<p>“志同为朋，道合为友，”
然而现代正常中国人并不区分朋和友，</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-07T15:42:42.733Z
2017-04-07T15:42:42.733Z
AoEiuV020
<p>I don't think anyone would say '他是我的朋。' nowadays. </p>

<p>You might hear 他是我的好友。 or 他是我的好朋友。</p>

<p>Old 孔子 said, 有朋自远方来 不亦乐乎。 but that was a long time ago!</p>

<p>Apparently, 朋 represents the wings of a legendary bird, like a phoenix. Maybe that means it brings luck or joy, like a good friend and
友 represents 2 right hands, like 'he's my right hand, my friend' or 'holding hands'</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-02T08:36:39.553Z
Indeed, 老友 for instance is an expression I hear often (in the South anyway). I don't think anyone says 老朋.
dda
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-01T23:37:04.993Z
2017-04-01T23:37:04.993Z
Pedroski
<p>In Japanese, just the word "友" means a friend, and "朋" is a additive (or supplemental) character of meaning a friend (not used as a single word, for example"朋友", which is same as Chinese, I think). 
Perhaps it will help your understanding, and I will hope that will be usefull.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-03T12:36:11.887Z
2017-04-03T12:36:11.887Z
Wat
<p>“朋” refers to the those who share a same period of education experience(classmates, schoolmates) 朋->同学 classmate, 朋党 -> the alumni</p>

<p>"友“ refers to those who have the common interests or goals and trust each other 友->同志 comrade, friend</p>

<p>In《论语》, the compound word 朋友 appears “与朋友交而不信乎”. The usage is very similar to what we use nowadays in modern Chinese. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-07T17:37:03.960Z
2017-04-07T17:37:03.960Z
Ela Cai
<p>I was taught that 朋 (two moon radicals) implied two equal companions standing side by side, while 友 (left hand holding right hand) implied a more intimate (but not necessarily sexual) relationship.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-11-08T02:08:52.113Z
2019-11-08T02:08:52.113Z
Ray Butterworth
<p>朋means those who share the same teacher 
「同師曰朋」《說文註》
友means those who share the same goal 
「同志曰友」 </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-04T19:47:53.657Z
2017-04-04T19:47:53.657Z
user16803
<p>As a noun, both 朋 and 友 mean friends. While 朋 is mostly a noun, 友 is often be used as an adjective for 'friendly, ' as in '<strong>友</strong>軍'(<strong>friendly</strong> force); '<strong>友</strong>方'(<strong>friendly</strong> side)</p>
<p><strong>友</strong> can also be a verb for '<strong>befriend</strong>' in classical sentences.</p>
<p>To find the subtle difference between two characters with similar meaning in a compound word, like 朋友，you can observe the other compound words they associate with.</p>
<p>Examples:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>朋比為奸  friends collude in criminal acts</p>
<p>朋黨 circle (of friends); alliance (of friends)</p>
</blockquote>
<p><em>The phrases above show <strong>朋</strong> emphasis on the '<strong>closeness</strong>' and  '<strong>alliance</strong>' between  friends</em></p>
<blockquote>
<p>友善 (friendly), 友好 (friendly), 友愛 (friendship), 友誼 (friendship)</p>
</blockquote>
<p><em>The phrases above, show <strong>友</strong> emphasis on the ' <strong>fondness</strong>' and '<strong>emotional tie</strong>'  between friends'</em></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-02T19:08:43.353Z
Very interesting to read your answer, it really cleared things up. Good suggestion to look at other compound words to get the "feeling" for a character!
PetaspeedBeaver
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-04T23:38:59.087Z
You could add that foreigners will still find 友谊商店 in some cities, and the 友谊宾馆 is not at all a bad place to stay if your first trip to China includes Beijing.
Colin McLarty
CC BY-SA 4.0
2017-04-01T23:56:44.087Z
2019-11-07T18:18:38.310Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>I've learned 朋友 as a unit for the word 'friend'. After looking the two characters up, I see that they both mean... <em>friend</em>.</p>
<p>It seems 友 is often used as the latter part of words expressing something with &quot;friend&quot;, like 好友 for <em>good friend</em>.</p>
<p><strong>What is the difference between 朋 and 友?</strong></p>
<p>Do they have slightly different meanings when used separately, or are they identical in meaning and just used in different situations?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-03T13:27:49.120Z
as dictionary entries for 朋 and 友 will show, they are both bound morphemes（粘着语素）(and 朋 possibly to a larger extent) as distinguished from free morphemes (自由语素），bound unlike free morphemes are not words (词).
user6065
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-04-04T23:57:49.677Z
At  小马词典 find 88 compounds with 友  and 23  with 朋, 11 成语 among them
user6065
<characters><difference>
Do 朋 and 友 differ in meaning?
# Do 朋 and 友 differ in meaning?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-04-01)

I've learned 朋友 as a unit for the word 'friend'. After looking the two characters up, I see that they both mean... *friend*.

It seems 友 is often used as the latter part of words expressing something with "friend", like 好友 for *good friend*.

**What is the difference between 朋 and 友?**

Do they have slightly different meanings when used separately, or are they identical in meaning and just used in different situations?

**Tags:** characters, difference
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: as dictionary entries for 朋 and 友 will show, they are both bound morphemes（粘着语素）(and 朋 possibly to a larger extent) as distinguished from free morphemes (自由语素），bound unlike free morphemes are not words (词).  
> **username_1**: At  小马词典 find 88 compounds with 友  and 23  with 朋, 11 成语 among them  

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## 7 answers

### Answer by username_9 on 2017-04-01. Score: 8 | Accepted answer

As a noun, both 朋 and 友 mean friends. While 朋 is mostly a noun, 友 is often be used as an adjective for 'friendly, ' as in '**友**軍'(**friendly** force); '**友**方'(**friendly** side)

**友** can also be a verb for '**befriend**' in classical sentences.

To find the subtle difference between two characters with similar meaning in a compound word, like 朋友，you can observe the other compound words they associate with.

Examples:

> 朋比為奸 friends collude in criminal acts
>
> 朋黨 circle (of friends); alliance (of friends)

*The phrases above show **朋** emphasis on the '**closeness**' and '**alliance**' between friends*

> 友善 (friendly), 友好 (friendly), 友愛 (friendship), 友誼 (friendship)

*The phrases above, show **友** emphasis on the ' **fondness**' and '**emotional tie**' between friends'*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Very interesting to read your answer, it really cleared things up. Good suggestion to look at other compound words to get the "feeling" for a character!  
> **username_10**: You could add that foreigners will still find 友谊商店 in some cities, and the 友谊宾馆 is not at all a bad place to stay if your first trip to China includes Beijing.  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-04-07. Score: 5

“志同为朋，道合为友，”
然而现代正常中国人并不区分朋和友，


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-04-01. Score: 5

I don't think anyone would say '他是我的朋。' nowadays.

You might hear 他是我的好友。 or 他是我的好朋友。

Old 孔子 said, 有朋自远方来 不亦乐乎。 but that was a long time ago!

Apparently, 朋 represents the wings of a legendary bird, like a phoenix. Maybe that means it brings luck or joy, like a good friend and
友 represents 2 right hands, like 'he's my right hand, my friend' or 'holding hands'

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Indeed, 老友 for instance is an expression I hear often (in the South anyway). I don't think anyone says 老朋.  

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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-04-03. Score: 1

In Japanese, just the word "友" means a friend, and "朋" is a additive (or supplemental) character of meaning a friend (not used as a single word, for example"朋友", which is same as Chinese, I think).
Perhaps it will help your understanding, and I will hope that will be usefull.


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### Answer by username_6 on 2017-04-07. Score: 1

“朋” refers to the those who share a same period of education experience(classmates, schoolmates) 朋->同学 classmate, 朋党 -> the alumni

"友“ refers to those who have the common interests or goals and trust each other 友->同志 comrade, friend

In《论语》, the compound word 朋友 appears “与朋友交而不信乎”. The usage is very similar to what we use nowadays in modern Chinese.


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### Answer by username_7 on 2019-11-08. Score: 0

I was taught that 朋 (two moon radicals) implied two equal companions standing side by side, while 友 (left hand holding right hand) implied a more intimate (but not necessarily sexual) relationship.


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### Answer by username_8 on 2017-04-04. Score: -1

朋means those who share the same teacher
「同師曰朋」《說文註》
友means those who share the same goal
「同志曰友」


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