老朋友

• Pinyin: lǎo péng you
• Hanzi breakdown: 老 (lǎo) — old, long-standing; 朋 (péng) — friend; 友 (yǒu) — friend, companion

Meaning

Old friend; a long-time friend. Someone you have known for many years.

Emphasizes the length and depth of a friendship rather than the age of the person. Can be used warmly in greetings when meeting someone you haven't seen in a long time.

Examples

1. 他是我的老朋友，我们认识十年了。 He is my old friend — we've known each other for ten years.
2. 今天我见到了一个老朋友。 I ran into an old friend today.
3. 老朋友见面总是很开心。 Old friends are always happy to see each other.

Usage Guide

Context: social, reunion, everyday

Tone: warm

Do Say

• 好久不见，老朋友！(Long time no see, old friend!)
• 我和几个老朋友一起吃了饭。(I had dinner with some old friends.)

Don't Say

• 不要对刚认识的人说'老朋友' (Don't call someone you just met an 'old friend' — it sounds insincere or overly familiar)

Origin & History

Compound of 老 (old, long-standing) and 朋友 (friend). 老 here means 'of long standing' rather than 'elderly.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal