Friend in Korean: 친구
친구 (chingu) is the Korean word for friend. Hear it, see how it changes in real speech, build it letter by letter and trace each block stroke by stroke.
How do you say friend in Korean?
Friend in Korean is 친구 (chingu). In Korea the word usually means a friend born in the same year as you; older and younger friends are often called by age words such as 형, 언니 or 동생.
Friend in Korean 친구: sound, letters and strokes
친구 Friend in KoreanKorean word · noun
친구 is read chingu.
How 친구 is used
A friend you are close to.
Short for a very close friend.
Often shortened to 남친.
친구 is a friend, someone you are close to. It also refers casually to a person your age or younger (이 친구 왜 안 와?). Koreans often call only same-age people 친구; older friends are 선배, 형, 언니 and so on.
How to pronounce 친구
친구Say chin – gu. 친 starts with a strong "ch" with a puff of air. The ㄴ at the bottom of 친 runs into 구: "chin-goo".
친구 letter by letter
How to write 친구 stroke by stroke
Write 친구 one block at a time: 친, 구. Inside every block go from the first consonant to the vowel and then the final consonant, following the numbered strokes.
Trace chin 친 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
Trace gu 구 with a finger, mouse or pen: start at the numbered dot, follow the dotted arrow, and press Clear to try again.
Print style 정자체
Follow the numbers and dotted arrows
Handwriting 필기체
Same stroke order as print style
When to say 친구
친구 in example sentences
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 이 사람은 제 친구예요. | This is my friend. |
| 친구랑 영화를 봤어요. | I watched a movie with a friend. |
| 우리 친구 하자! | Let us be friends! |
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 지수와 나는 어린 시절부터 10년 넘게 알고 지낸 오랜 친구이다. | Jisu and I are old friends who have known each other for over ten years since childhood. |
| 우리 아이는 성격이 내성적이라 친구가 없어서 걱정이에요. / 걱정하지 마세요. 차차 나아지겠죠. | A: My child is introverted and has no friends, so I'm worried. / B: Don't worry. It will get better over time. |
| 옛 친구. | an old friend |
| 이 친구 왜 아직도 안 오는 거야? | Why is this guy still not here? |
친구 in a short conversation
| Who | Korean | English |
|---|---|---|
| A | 같이 온 분은 누구예요? | Who is the person who came with you? |
| B | 제 친구예요. 대학교 친구예요. | My friend. A friend from university. |
Words and phrases with 친구
친구 compared with other friend words
| Korean | Meaning | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 친구 | friend | Usually someone born in the same year as you. |
| 절친 | best friend | Slang for a very close friend. |
| 동갑 | same age | Someone born in the same year; often how a friendship starts. |
| 선배 | senior | An older student or coworker who started before you. |
| 후배 | junior | A younger student or coworker who started after you. |
| 동료 | coworker | A colleague at work. |
A common mistake with 친구
Learners call an older acquaintance 친구. Koreans usually use age terms like 형, 오빠, 언니, 누나 for older friends.
Culture note
In Korea, 친구 usually means someone born the same year; age differences shape how friends address each other.
How to practice
Learn the question: 우리 친구 할래요? (Want to be friends?).
Particles with 친구
친구 ends in a vowel, so it takes 가 and 를: 친구가 와요 (my friend is coming), 친구를 만나요 (I meet a friend). In speech people say 친구랑 for "with a friend" and 친구한테 for "to a friend": 친구한테 전화했어요.
친구 in compound words
남자 친구 and 여자 친구 mean boyfriend and girlfriend. 소꿉친구 is a childhood friend you played house with, and 동네 친구 is a friend from your neighbourhood. 친구 사이 means "just friends".
Age and friendship
Koreans often ask each other’s age or birth year early, because it decides how they talk. People born in the same year can become 친구 and speak casually; with older friends you keep polite speech and use words like 형, 오빠, 언니 or 누나.
친구 writing worksheet (free printable)
Worksheet · Level 3 · Words
Korean word tracing worksheet: 친구 (friend)
One A4 page for 친구: trace its 2 blocks (8 strokes), write words that go with it, read three sentences and find 친.
- 1 page
- A4 · US Letter
- PDF · 88 KB
- Free · no sign-up
Want more? See all korean words
Worksheet information
- How to use
- Say 친구 out loud, trace each block from dark to faint, then write it on the line.
Use of the worksheet:
© KoreanSheets.com · Free to print and share at home and in class. No commercial use — don’t sell it, add it to paid products or post it on other websites. The QR code on the sheet opens this page to listen and trace on screen.
What to learn next
Friend in Korean — FAQ
How do you say friend in Korean?
친구 (chingu). A best friend is 가장 친한 친구 or 절친.
Can I call an older person 친구?
Usually not. For older friends, Koreans use terms like 형, 오빠, 언니 or 누나.
How do you say best friend in Korean?
제일 친한 친구 (my closest friend) or the slang 절친 (short for 절친한 친구).
How do you say boyfriend and girlfriend in Korean?
남자 친구 (boyfriend) and 여자 친구 (girlfriend), often shortened to 남친 and 여친.
What does 우리 친구 할래? mean?
"Do you want to be friends?" It is a friendly, casual question; 할래 means "will you do it?".
What is 동갑 in Korean?
동갑 means being the same age. 우리 동갑이에요 means "We are the same age", which often lets two people become 친구.
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