平等
byōdō[bʲo̞ːdo̞ː]
The English word 'equal' can be translated into Japanese as 平等 (byōdō), 等しい or 同じ.
Meaning: the same in all respects (adj)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 平等 | byōdō | [bʲo̞ːdo̞ː] (narrow) |
| 等しい | hitoshii | [çito̞ɕii] (narrow) |
| 同じ | onaji | [o̞na̠ʑi] (narrow) [õ̞nːa̠ʑi] (narrow) |
The Japanese terms for 'equal' describe something that is the same in all respects.
Which one should you use?
The term 同じ is colloquial. In contrast, 等しい is a more formal, literary adjective.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 平等 and 等しい are standard, 同じ is categorized as colloquial.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective 等しい (hitoshii) is often used with the particle と (to) to mean 'equal to' something else, such as 'AはBと等しい' (A is equal to B).
How do you pronounce it?
byōdō
Did you know?
- The term 平等 was not originally a secular word for social equality, but a specialized term used in Buddhist texts to describe impartiality.
- While most Japanese adjectives follow strict patterns, the word 同じ is famously irregular, behaving like a mix of different adjective types.
Examples in context
- 人間は全て平等である。All men are equal.This sentence uses 平等 to state that all humans are equal.Tatoeba #144261 by bunbuku, translation #270304 by CK
- 全ての人間は平等である。All people are equal.This sentence uses 平等 to express that all people are equal.Tatoeba #1151816 by bunbuku, translation #4547199 by pullnosemans
- 誰もが法の下では平等です。Everybody is equal before the law.This sentence uses 平等 to describe equality before the law.Tatoeba #1037435 by bunbuku, translation #51719 by Eldad
- Kazoku no naka de onna no ko to otoko no ko wa byoudou da. (家族の中で女の子と男の子は平等だ。)Girls and boys are equal within the family.
- 29 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are discussing school rules.
- 陽太 Yotaチャンスは全ての人に平等であるべきだ。Chansu wa subete no hito ni byōdō de aru beki da.Opportunities should be equal for all people.
- 結衣 Yuiその通りですね、陽太さん。Sono tōri desu ne, Yota-san.That is exactly right, Yota.
- 陽太 Yotaルールも平等に適用されるべきだ。Rūru mo byōdō ni tekiyō sareru beki da.Rules should also be applied equally.
- 結衣 Yui結衣もそう思います。Yui mo sō omoimasu.Yui thinks so too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “equal” translations and entries 平等, 等しい, 同じ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 同じ, 平等, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
