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両端 (りょうたん, ryoutan) Japanese meaning: both ends | Kotomora

両りょう端たん

also: りょうはし · りょうはじ

りょ

う

た

ん

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

both ends; either end; both edges

Used for the two ends or edges of a line-like, long, flat, or bounded object. In context it may refer to things located at each of the two ends.

ロープの両りょう端たんをしっかり結むすんだ。

I tied both ends of the rope tightly.

橋はしの両りょう端たんに警けい備び員いんが立たっている。

Security guards are standing at both ends of the bridge.

2

double-mindedness; sitting on the fence

Only with reading りょうたん

Rare abstract use, especially in the fixed literary expression 両端を持する, meaning to avoid taking a clear side. This sense is restricted to the reading りょうたん.

「両りょう端たんを持じする」は、どちらにもはっきり味み方かたしない態たい度どをいう。
両端を持する refers to an attitude of not clearly siding with either side.

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉の両りょう端たんを持もつto hold both ends of something
タオルの両りょう端たんを持もって引ひっ張ぱった。
I held both ends of the towel and pulled.
〈物もの〉の両りょう端たんを結むすぶto tie both ends of something together
縄なわの両りょう端たんを結むすんで輪わにした。
I tied both ends of the rope together to make a loop.
両りょう端たんが〈形けい容よう詞し〉both ends are (a certain shape/state)
この棒ぼうは両りょう端たんが丸まるくなっている。
Both ends of this rod are rounded.
両りょう端たんを持じするto sit on the fence, avoiding taking a clear side
彼かれは議ぎ論ろんの中なかで両りょう端たんを持じする態たい度どをとった。
He took a fence-sitting stance during the debate.

Kanji

両both, old Japanese coin, counter for carriages (e.g., in a train)
端edge, origin, end

Related words

両りょう側がわN2sense 1
両側 refers to the two sides (e.g., left and right) of something, while 両端 refers specifically to the two ends or tips of a line-like object.

Don't confuse with

端はしN2sense 1
端 means just one end or edge, whereas 両端 always refers to both of the two ends together.
末まっ端たんN1sense 1
末端 means a single extremity or the lowest tier of an organization, while 両端 means the two ends of something considered as a pair.
両りょう側がわN2
両端 refers to the two ends (extremities) of something, while 両側 refers to the two lateral sides, so they describe different parts of an object.
両りょう脇わきN2
両端 means 'both ends' (the two extremities of something), whereas 両脇 means 'both sides/flanks', so they describe different parts of an object.

Counted with

箇か所しょN2
Used when referring to the two ends/locations as places or points.

Word family

両りょう端たん揃ぞろえ
full justification; justified alignment
首しゅ鼠そ両りょう端たん
indecisive; sitting on the fence

Written forms

両端Usage98%
- りょうたん
  Standard and common spelling and reading for “both ends” and the rare abstract sense.
- りょうはし
  Attested alternate reading for the physical sense, but much less common than りょうたん.
- りょうはじ
  Attested alternate reading for the physical sense; included mainly for lookup.

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound: 両 means “both” and 端 means “end” or “edge.” The rare abstract sense appears to be an extension from the idea of holding or relating to both extremes.

両りょうはしUsage1%

search-only kanji form

Mixed kanji-kana spelling marked search-only; normally write 両端.

りょうはじUsage<1%

りょうはし