人與人的關係，有親疏有厚薄，團體與團體、國家與國家之間的關係，有友善有敵對，relationships 人際關係的 word spectrum 英語詞匯光譜，大有不同，值得研究學習個中的分別和用法。
先說關係的定義。Relationship is the way in which two people, groups or countries behave towards each other or deal with each other. Relationship can be close, lasting or stable 關係可以親密、持久、穩定。Relationship can be positive or negative 關係有好也有壞：a healthy relationship, a harmonious relationship 屬於良好；an uneasy relationship, a stormy relationship 屬於差劣。
關係的親疏光譜，出現在不同的人際背景：Relationships can be from closer to more distant。
朋友一千個還太少
Frienship 友誼方面：best friend/good, old, dear friend/acquaintance，三者的程度拾級而下。書友 classmate，室友 roommate，隊友 teammate，知心友 soul-mate，都是朋友。
工作關係由親密戰友到只因崗位相同而走在一起。Working relationship 之中：close colleague/colleague/co-worker，三者就親疏有別。
情愛關係由親熱到分手：Romantic relationship 可以由 lover/boyfriend/girlfriend 到過氣伴侶 ex。
婚姻關係和性愛關係，各有不同的稱謂：Husband and wife, spouse 之外，companion, partner, and significant other are fairly often used and commonly accepted for a person he or she lives together but is not married to。
志同道合，可以稱兄道弟。Comrade is a form of address among members of the Communist Party：同志最好小心使用。
漢語中友誼的成語及典故，特別豐富：男性的有八拜之交，刎頸之交，女性的有金蘭姊妹，手帕之交。英語中比較俚俗的好朋友 male close friends：bosom buddy, chum, pal, mate，互稱老友鬼鬼：amigo, baby, love, sunshine。
交友的通俗說法有：to make friends, to become friends, to associate with, hang around with, get on well with someone, get on well together, to be on friendly terms with someone 不等。
莫逆之交，患難見真情：a friend in need is a friend indeed = a true friend proves his friendship when he stands by you in your time of need，可以共同承擔患難的朋友，才是真正朋友。大難臨頭各自飛的衹是勢利之友，a fair-weathered friend may desert you in adversity。負面的氣味相投或興趣相合的朋友，習用語可以說：birds of a feather flock together; it implies a somewhat dubious relationship。禮尚往來，互相利用：You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours = you do me a good turn now and I’ll do you one when you ask me to，私相授受的交情，不外如此。
A friendly fire 不是友誼之火，it is an accidental fire，是戰爭中由己方或友軍造成的誤殺或誤傷，hit by a bomb or weapon that is fired by his own side and not his enemy。
敵人一個也嫌多
Enemy 一般有兩重意思：1. 敵人，仇人，反對者，someone who is opposed to someone else and who tries to harm them；2. 敵國、敵軍，a country that is fighting another country in a war。Political enemies 是政敵。Enemy forces 是敵軍。廣義用法，Enemy can mean something that harms someone or something，例如：Drug abuse is public enemy number one 毒品是當前的頭號敵人。Frost is an enemy of flowers 霜是花的大敵。
Enemy/opponent/foe 三者有分別。Enemy 敵對的態度，可以指個人的或總體的，民事的或軍事的，字面的或隱含的。Opponent can designate a person engaged in some kind of disagreement, competition, rivalry, opposition, or conflict，不一定是敵對的，往往僅僅是你比賽的對手，例如運動或辯論活動中。Foe 可以隱含潛伏的危險或者特別可怕的死敵，程度最嚴重，it suggests a hostile spirit and purpose，例如：The U.S. and Germany were bitter foes in two world wars。
有一句幽默的說法：With friends like that, who needs enemies? 等如說：When someone you thought was your friend treats you in an unpleasant way。老友對女朋友說自己的壞話：My friend told my girlfriend I was boring. With friends like that, who needs enemies! 如斯朋友，夫復何言！
不要讓自己成為最大的敵人
最後，充滿自信，不要讓自己成為最大的敵人！Don’t be your own worst enemy!
If you are your own worst enemy, you do or believe things that prevent you from becoming successful. Unless you learn to be more confident, you’ll never perform your best. 我們最凶的敵人，躲藏在我們的心中。You are your own worst enemy.
本專欄逢周二、五刊登
