noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no', na-adjective, noun
equal; evenly matched; on par
Describes two parties, abilities, or forces that are closely matched, with no clear advantage. Often used in competitive contexts such as sports, games, or debates.
The two teams are evenly matched in ability.
He can compete on equal terms with professionals.
He held his own on equal terms against the world champion.
The rookie player fought the veteran on an even footing.
The two of them had evenly matched abilities.
The match remained an evenly matched contest right to the end.
五分 often implies an exact 50-50 split or tie, while 互角 simply means the two sides are closely matched without claiming perfect equality.
同等 emphasizes equal rank, value, or treatment in general, while 互角 focuses specifically on equal strength or ability in a contest.
対等 describes an equal standing or relationship, such as between partners or negotiators, while 互角 describes evenly matched strength in a competition.
拮抗 emphasizes an ongoing tension or balance of power that could tip either way, while 互角 simply states that two sides are evenly matched at a given moment.
伯仲 is a somewhat formal word often used in written or news contexts to describe closely matched skill, while 互角 is the everyday term for being evenly matched.
互角 describes two sides being closely matched in ability during a contest, while あいこ describes the actual result being a tie.
五角 (same reading ごかく) means 'pentagon' or 'five-sided,' a geometric term completely unrelated to 互角's meaning of being evenly matched.
Standard kanji spelling; high-frequency news word.
Ateji spelling; rarely used and may cause confusion with the reading ぎゅうかく.
Irregular kanji usage; included for search coverage only.
The kanji 互 (mutual) and 角 (horn/angle) combine to suggest two horns locking evenly, hence 'equal in strength'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.