How do I say 'friend'?

朋友 in Chinese is the big-tent word, covering everyone from a person you met twice to your closest companion. Chinese adds precision through modifiers:

• 好朋友 — good friend. The person you trust, confide in, and make an effort to see.
• 闺蜜 (female) / 兄弟 (male) — the inner circle. 闺蜜 specifically describes the kind of female friendship where you share everything; it implies emotional intimacy and loyalty. 兄弟 is the male equivalent, carrying brotherly loyalty rather than emotional disclosure.
• 老友 — old friend. Someone you have known for many years. 老朋友 means the friendship has history.

The casual direct-address forms: calling a friend 兄弟 or 哥们 (male) or 亲爱的 / 宝 (very close female) is common. These are not literally “brother” or “darling” — they are friendship markers.

A cultural note: Chinese friendship often involves a stronger sense of mutual obligation than Western friendship. Friends are expected to help each other with practical matters (moving houses, job connections, loans) to a degree that can surprise foreigners. The phrase 够朋友 (literally “enough of a friend”) means someone is a true friend who comes through when needed. 不够朋友 is a criticism — someone who failed the friendship test.