友人を作るのはたやすいが友情を保つのは難しい。

Sentence Analyzer

English Translation

It is easy to make a man one's friend, but hard to keep him so.

Furigana

友人(ゆうじん)を作(つく)るのはたやすいが友情(ゆうじょう)を保(たも)つのは難(むずか)しい。

Romanji

Yūjin o tsukuru no wa tayasui ga yūjō o tamotsu no wa muzukashii.

Words

友人 (ゆうじん)

friend

を (を)

indicates direct object of action; indicates subject of causative expression; indicates an area traversed; indicates time (period) over which action takes place; indicates point of departure or separation of action; indicates object of desire, like, hate, etc.

作る (つくる)

to make; to produce; to manufacture; to build; to construct; to prepare (food); to brew (alcohol); to raise; to grow; to cultivate; to train; to till; to draw up (a document); to make out; to prepare; to write; to create (an artistic work, etc.); to compose; to coin (a phrase); to organize; to organise; to establish; to found; to have (a child); to make up (one's face, etc.); to fabricate (an excuse, etc.); to form (a line, etc.); to set (a record); to commit (a sin, etc.)

の (の)

indicates possessive; nominalizes verbs and adjectives; substitutes for "ga" in subordinate phrases; (at sentence-end, falling tone) indicates a confident conclusion; (at sentence-end) indicates emotional emphasis; (at sentence-end, rising tone) indicates question

は (は)

topic marker particle; indicates contrast with another option (stated or unstated); adds emphasis

容易い (たやすい)

easy; simple; light

が (が)

indicates sentence subject (occasionally object); indicates possessive (esp. in literary expressions); but; however; still; and

友情 (ゆうじょう)

friendship; fellowship; camaraderie

保つ (たもつ)

to keep; to preserve; to hold; to retain; to maintain; to support; to sustain; to last; to endure; to keep well (food); to wear well; to be durable

難しい (むずかしい、むつかしい)

difficult; hard; troublesome; complicated; serious (disease, problem, etc.); fussy; particular; fastidious; hard to please; displeased; gloomy; glum; sullen; serious (look); dirty; unclean; filthy; detestable; unpleasant; uncomfortable; creepy; spooky