childhood friends; the best friend of one’s childhood ❍ 思量总角交好，不想中路分离，临终也不能一别，同三兄悲痛过深，几乎发了狂疾. (《儒林外史》110)Our grief at losing the best friend of our childhood without even being able to say goodbye to him made us nearly distracted.
总角之交zong jiao zhi jiao
childhood friend
总角之交zǒnɡ jiǎo zhī jiāo
总角：古代儿童把头发扎成髻，借指幼年。指幼年时代就相识的好朋友。childhood friend, the best friend of one’s childhood, boyhood chum