<p>In Chinese culture, 交朋友 is more like &quot;to make friends&quot; and 认识朋友 &quot;to know someone&quot;.</p>
<p>So, in your first example &quot;我去工作的时候，认识了很多朋友&quot;, it's &quot;to know many people&quot;.  And the second &quot;我在中国交了很多朋友&quot; is &quot;to make friends&quot;.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T09:24:34.537Z
Can you explain what does it mean "to know friends" in Chinese? In English, I think this means when you are already friends with someone and you get more close and understand them better.
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T09:30:39.150Z
@Puco4 Sorry, then. That's not what I meant. My bad English. I meant 认识 is just to know someone and it's more business-like. I just edited my answer.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T09:34:54.830Z
So in terms of the strength of the friendship, 认识朋友 < 交朋友?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T09:38:19.753Z
@Puco4 Yes, that's what I meant.  交朋友 involves more activities than just to 认识.
dan
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T09:53:01.640Z
@Puco4 Look at this sentence: "我有很多朋友是我在中国的时候认识的"  (I have many friends that I met when I was in China) --> The first time you met them, they're not your friends yet. When you say "我在中国的时候认识的朋友" ,  those "朋友" were actually  "我在中的国候**认识**的將會成為我朋友的**人**
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T10:07:27.593Z
*交朋友 involves more activities than just to 认识* --> Yes,  'form relationship with people' is more active than 'get to know people'
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-04T00:13:08.147Z
2020-07-04T09:32:34.353Z
2020-07-04T09:32:34.353Z
dan
<blockquote>
<p>交了很多朋友</p>
</blockquote>
<p>交 in 交朋友 is short for 結交 (form relationship). Therefore, 交了很多朋友 means 'you formed many relationships with people who now are your friends</p>
<blockquote>
<p>认识了很多朋友</p>
</blockquote>
<p>认识 means 'to know'.  认识了很多朋友 means 'got to know many people who now are your friends'</p>
<p>Comparing the two:</p>
<p>交了很多朋友 - formed relationships with many people --&gt; became friends</p>
<p>认识了很多朋友 - got to know many people --&gt; became friends</p>
<p>Therefore, they both mean 'made many friends'</p>
<blockquote>
<p>結识 is the combination of 結交 and 认识</p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
<p>結识了很多朋友 - get to know and form relationship with many people --&gt; became friends</p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>Edit:</strong></p>
<p>Puco4 wrote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>maybe it is also possible to say 做朋友?</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>做朋友' can mean 'befriend (+ object)' or 'being a friend to (+ object)'  e.g. 我想跟他做朋友 (I want to befriend him/ I want to become a befriend to him); 我和他做朋友已經十年了 (He and I have been friends for ten years)</p>
<p>You cannot say '我做了很多朋友' (I've been many friends). You have to say '我和很多人做了朋友' (I befriended many people) or (I've become friends to many people)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T21:54:53.080Z
And what about 做朋友？Is it also possible to say it?
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T22:19:23.873Z
Please see my edition at the bottom part  of my post
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T22:23:07.983Z
I thought 做 could be translated also as *to do*, but I guess in this context it doesn't work like this.
Puco4
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T22:29:36.560Z
做 also means  'being'.  when followed by an identity. e.g. 做法官 (being a judge); 做老师 (being a teacher)
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T22:33:16.833Z
做 in '做家務'(doing housework)  and '做工作' (do work) means 'do' because 家務 and 工作 are not  identities
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T22:43:25.537Z
Other examples of ''做 = do':  做研究， 做壞事，做好事， 做宣傳
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-03T21:46:14.020Z
2020-07-08T16:35:53.790Z
2020-07-08T16:35:53.790Z
Tang Ho
<p>I have come across some sentences where both 认识朋友 and 交朋友 were translated as to <em>make friends</em> (even though typically 认识 is translated in English as <em>to know</em>). <strong>Is there a difference between them?</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>
<blockquote>
<p>我去工作的时候，认识了很多朋友。</p>
<p>Wǒ qù ɡōnɡzuò de shíhou, rènshi le hěn duō pénɡyou.</p>
<p>When I went to work, I made many friends.</p>
</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
<blockquote>
<p>我在中国交了很多朋友。</p>
<p>Wǒ zài Zhōnɡɡuó jiāole hěn duō pénɡyou.</p>
<p>I made a lot of friends in China.</p>
</blockquote>
</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>More generally, I am curious about whether in Chinese there are several verbs to express the same idea of <em>to make friends</em></strong> (maybe it is also possible to say 做朋友?). In English, to say <em>to make friends</em> and <em>to know friends</em> is different. However, in Spanish these same expressions are equivalent: <em>hacer amigos</em> y <em>conocer amigos</em>.</p>

<translation><meaning><usage><difference><synonyms>
To make friends: 交朋友 vs 认识朋友?
# To make friends: 交朋友 vs 认识朋友?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-07-03)

I have come across some sentences where both 认识朋友 and 交朋友 were translated as to *make friends* (even though typically 认识 is translated in English as *to know*). **Is there a difference between them?**

1. > 我去工作的时候，认识了很多朋友。
   >
   > Wǒ qù ɡōnɡzuò de shíhou, rènshi le hěn duō pénɡyou.
   >
   > When I went to work, I made many friends.
2. > 我在中国交了很多朋友。
   >
   > Wǒ zài Zhōnɡɡuó jiāole hěn duō pénɡyou.
   >
   > I made a lot of friends in China.

**More generally, I am curious about whether in Chinese there are several verbs to express the same idea of *to make friends*** (maybe it is also possible to say 做朋友?). In English, to say *to make friends* and *to know friends* is different. However, in Spanish these same expressions are equivalent: *hacer amigos* y *conocer amigos*.

**Tags:** translation, meaning, usage, difference, synonyms


---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-07-03. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

> 交了很多朋友

交 in 交朋友 is short for 結交 (form relationship). Therefore, 交了很多朋友 means 'you formed many relationships with people who now are your friends

> 认识了很多朋友

认识 means 'to know'. 认识了很多朋友 means 'got to know many people who now are your friends'

Comparing the two:

交了很多朋友 - formed relationships with many people --> became friends

认识了很多朋友 - got to know many people --> became friends

Therefore, they both mean 'made many friends'

> 結识 is the combination of 結交 and 认识

> 結识了很多朋友 - get to know and form relationship with many people --> became friends

**Edit:**

username_0 wrote:

> *maybe it is also possible to say 做朋友?*

做朋友' can mean 'befriend (+ object)' or 'being a friend to (+ object)' e.g. 我想跟他做朋友 (I want to befriend him/ I want to become a befriend to him); 我和他做朋友已經十年了 (He and I have been friends for ten years)

You cannot say '我做了很多朋友' (I've been many friends). You have to say '我和很多人做了朋友' (I befriended many people) or (I've become friends to many people)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: And what about 做朋友？Is it also possible to say it?  
> **username_2**: Please see my edition at the bottom part  of my post  
> **username_0**: I thought 做 could be translated also as *to do*, but I guess in this context it doesn't work like this.  
> **username_2**: 做 also means  'being'.  when followed by an identity. e.g. 做法官 (being a judge); 做老师 (being a teacher)  
> **username_2**: 做 in '做家務'(doing housework)  and '做工作' (do work) means 'do' because 家務 and 工作 are not  identities  
> **username_2**: Other examples of ''做 = do':  做研究， 做壞事，做好事， 做宣傳  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-07-04. Score: 1

In Chinese culture, 交朋友 is more like "to make friends" and 认识朋友 "to know someone".

So, in your first example "我去工作的时候，认识了很多朋友", it's "to know many people". And the second "我在中国交了很多朋友" is "to make friends".

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Can you explain what does it mean "to know friends" in Chinese? In English, I think this means when you are already friends with someone and you get more close and understand them better.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Sorry, then. That's not what I meant. My bad English. I meant 认识 is just to know someone and it's more business-like. I just edited my answer.  
> **username_0**: So in terms of the strength of the friendship, 认识朋友 < 交朋友?  
> **username_1**: @username_0 Yes, that's what I meant.  交朋友 involves more activities than just to 认识.  
> **username_2**: @username_0 Look at this sentence: "我有很多朋友是我在中国的时候认识的"  (I have many friends that I met when I was in China) --> The first time you met them, they're not your friends yet. When you say "我在中国的时候认识的朋友" ,  those "朋友" were actually  "我在中的国候**认识**的將會成為我朋友的**人**  
> **username_2**: *交朋友 involves more activities than just to 认识* --> Yes,  'form relationship with people' is more active than 'get to know people'  

---

