Definition
故友 is a formal literary term for a friend who has passed away. It's used in eulogies, obituaries, or reflective writing about someone deceased — not in everyday conversation about old friends (that would be 老朋友 or 旧友). The 故 here means 'deceased' (as in 去世), not 'old'.
n.
deceased friend (formal, literary)
Examples
- 故友。Zhè wèi gù yǒu shēngqián shì yí wèi zhùmíng de zuòjiā.This deceased friend was a famous writer during his lifetime.
- 故友。Tā xiě le yì piān wénzhāng jìniàn tā de gù yǒu.He wrote an article in memory of his deceased friend.
- 故友。gù yǒu de líqù ràng wǒmen dōu hěn nánguò.The passing of our deceased friend made us all very sad.
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