Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 至交 | zhìjiāo |
| 好朋友 |
You can use the common term 好朋友 for an everyday best friend, or more specialized terms like 死党 for an affectionate, informal sense of a 'dead party' friend, 铁哥们 for a male friend who is like an 'iron brother' or 闺蜜 specifically for a woman's best friend.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 至交 breaks down into the character 至, meaning 'extreme' or 'reaching a limit' and 交, meaning 'friendship' or 'to associate'. Together, they imply a friendship that has reached its highest level.
Which one should you use?
While both terms mean best friend, 至交 is a more formal, literary term, whereas 好朋友 is the common, everyday way to say best friend.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
至交 is a sophisticated, written-style term often found in literature or formal descriptions of deep bonds. In contrast, 死党, 铁哥们 and 闺蜜 are all informal ways to describe close friends.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Northern China, the term 哥们 is commonly used and is similar in meaning to 'bro' in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express 'the best friend' using the common term 好朋友, you often add 最 (meaning 'most') and 的 (an adjectival particle) to form 最好的朋友.
How do you pronounce it?
zhìjiāo
Did you know?
- The term 闺蜜 (guīmì) for a female best friend originally referred to a lady's private chamber or 'boudoir'.
- The informal term 死党 literally translates to 'death party' or 'dead clique'. It suggests a bond so strong that the friends would stick together even in the face of death.
- The character 交 in 至交 can also mean 'to cross' or 'to intersect'. This suggests that a best friendship is a point where two separate life paths have permanently crossed.
Examples in context
- 约翰是我最好朋友。John is my best friend.This sentence is useful for identifying a person using the form 好朋友.Tatoeba #1561524 by eskcourt, translation #52585 by CN
- 你说的 死党 是不是我呀？ (Nǐ shuō de sǐ dǎng shì bù shì wǒ ya?)Are you talking about me, your best friend?
- 他们是多年的至交。Tāmen shì duōnián de zhījiāo.They are best friends of many years.
- 我把他当作至交。Wǒ bǎ tā dàngzuò zhījiāo.I regard him as a best friend.
Example conversation
Wei introduces his old friend to Yuting.
- 伟 Wei雨婷，这是我的至交。Yǔtíng, zhè shì wǒ de zhìjiāo.Yuting, this is my best friend.
- 雨婷 Yuting很高兴认识你。Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.It is very nice to meet you.
- 伟 Wei我们从小就认识。Wǒmen xiǎocóng jiù rènshi.We have known each other since childhood.
- 雨婷 Yuting那真是太好了。Nà zhēnshì tài hǎole.That is really wonderful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “best friend” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
