'Péng you' (朋友) means 'friend' — a person with whom one shares mutual affection, trust, and regular interaction. The character 朋 (péng) originally depicted two shells side by side, symbolizing people of equal status or shared interests; 友 (yǒu) shows two right hands clasped together, representing friendship and fellowship. Together, they form a compound noun emphasizing voluntary, reciprocal, and emotionally supportive relationships — not just acquaintances or colleagues.

This word is used broadly across ages and contexts: children say 'wǒ yǒu yí gè péng you' ('I have a friend'), adults refer to long-term companions as 'lǎo péng you' ('old friend'), and it appears in phrases like 'jiāo péng you' ('to make friends') or 'péng you què' ('friendship'). Unlike kinship terms, it carries no inherent hierarchy and is appropriate in both casual and formal speech.