マブダチ
mabudachi
The English word "homie" can be translated into Japanese as マブダチ (mabudachi).
マブダチ is used to refer to a very close friend or a best friend. It implies a deep level of friendship and a more casual, street-level tone compared to standard terms.
Meaning: a friend, somebody one often hangs out with (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of two parts: マブ, derived from the adjective マブい which originally meant 'true' or 'real' in certain dialects and ダチ, which is a colloquial shortening of 友達 (friend).
Which one should you use?
While 友達 is the standard, neutral word for 'friend', マブダチ carries a much stronger connotation of inseparable friendship and is more informal. You may also encounter 仲間, which translates to 'comrade' or 'crew' and describes a group of friends who share a strong bond.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
マブダチ is a slangy and somewhat old-fashioned way to refer to a close friend. The component ダチ is also used informally among close friends to refer to one another.
How do you pronounce it?
mabudachi
Did you know?
- The adjective マブい (mabui), which shares the same root, can also be used to describe someone who looks 'fresh' or 'strikingly beautiful' in certain contexts.
- The suffix ダチ is so versatile that it can be attached to other words to create new types of friends, such as 飲みダチ for someone you only drink with.
- In modern Japanese youth slang, マブダチ has largely been replaced by shorter terms like ズッ友, which combines 'forever' and 'friend'.
Examples in context
- おい、ダチ！Hey, homie!
- 彼は僕の最高のマブダチだ。Kare wa boku no saikou no mabudachi da.He is my best homie.
- あいつとは昔からのマブダチだよ。Aitsu to wa mukashi kara no mabudachi da yo.That guy has been my homie since way back.
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a mutual acquaintance.
- 大翔 Hirotoあいつは俺のマブダチなんだ。Aitsu wa ore no mabudachi nanda.That guy is my homie.
- 美咲 Misakiへえ、いつからの友達なの？Hee, itsu kara no tomodachi nano?Oh, how long have you been friends?
- 大翔 Hiroto中学の時からずっと一緒だよ。Chuugaku no toki kara zutto issho da yo.We've been together since middle school.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に仲が良いね。Hontou ni naka ga ii ne.You two are really close.
