How to say "intimacy" in Japanese

• 親密しんみつCommon
  na-adjective, nounThe most direct equivalent for intimacy as the closeness of a personal relationship: it describes two people as close to each other. Use it when 'intimacy' characterizes the relationship itself.
  ついに彼かれらの友情ゆうじょうが壊こわれ、二人ふたりの親密しんみつな関係かんけいは消え失きえうせた。↗

  Finally, their friendship ended and their close relationship disappeared.
• 親しみしたしみCommon
  nounIntimacy as a warm feeling rather than a state of relations: affection and familiarity toward a person or thing you feel close to. Choose it when the emphasis falls on warm, familiar feelings.
  ペットは私わたしたちに親したしみ以上いじょうのものを与あたえてくれる。↗

  Pets offer us more than mere companionship.
• 親交しんこうCommon
  nounIntimacy as friendly relations between people: friendship viewed as a link between two parties rather than as a private feeling. For plain 'intimacy', 親密 is the better fit.
• 懇親こんしんCommon
  nounThough glossed 'friendship; intimacy', this is seldom the word you actually reach for to say 'intimacy'; for that sense, 親密 or 親しみ is the safer choice.
• 懇意こんいCommon
  noun, na-adjectiveDescribes two people as being on familiar, friendly terms with each other: closeness in the sense of good relations. Choose it when 'on good terms' is the nuance you want, not for deeper intimacy.
  芸術げいじゅつに没頭ぼっとうしているとてもたくさんの人ひとたちとも懇意こんいにしてきた。↗

  I have known intimately a great many persons who were absorbed in the arts.

Choose 親密 for the closeness of a personal relationship, 「親しみ」 for warm affection or familiarity, 親交 for friendship between people, and 懇意 for being on familiar terms; 懇親 is seldom the right word.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 親密しんみつintimacy
• 親しみしたしみintimacy
• 親交しんこうintimacy
• 懇親こんしんfriendship
• 懇意こんいfriendship
• 親しんintimacy
• 馴染みなじみfamiliarity
• 昵懇じっこんintimacy
• 交情こうじょうintimacy
• 別懇べっこんintimacy
• 親しさしたしさintimacy
• インティマシーintimacy
• 情交じょうこうsexual intercourse
• 信愛しんあいlove and believe in
• 深間ふかまdepths
• よしみfriendship
• 慇懃いんぎんfriendship
• 夫婦生活ふうふせいかつsexual activities (of a married couple)