Meaning

Primary

Acquaintance

Word Type

noun

Explanation

You've probably seen the words 知る and 合う by now. This is someone you "know" because you have "come together" before, but that's pretty much it. You don't really know them well, you just met them a couple times so you know who they are. This person is an acquaintance.

Reading

しりあい
  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

The readings are that of 知る and 合う. So long as you know those words, you should be able to read this one too.

Context

Common Word Combinations

  • 知り合いが来る

    an acquaintance comes

    知り合いができる

    to make a new acquaintance

    知り合いがいる

    to have an acquaintance, there is an acquaintance

Context Sentences

お知り合いですか?

Do you know each other?

知り合いだから、ちょっと聞いてみるよ。

Since I know that person, I'll ask them about it.

アイツと知り合いだとはゼッタイにバレたくない。

I absolutely don't want it to be known that I'm acquainted with them.

Kanji Composition