伴はん侶りょ

also: ばんりょ

は

ん

りょ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

A somewhat formal or literary term for a life partner, spouse, or close companion. Often used in contexts like marriage, lifelong partnership, or poetic descriptions of a companion.

彼かの女じょは人じん生せいの伴はん侶りょとして最さい適てきな人ひとだ。
She is the ideal person as a life partner.
結けっ婚こん式しきで、二人ふたりは永えい遠えんの伴はん侶りょとなることを誓ちかった。
At the wedding, they vowed to become eternal companions.

Written forms

伴侶Usage100%
- はんりょ
  Standard kanji form; the reading はんりょ is the modern pronunciation.
- ばんりょ
  out-dated reading
  Obsolete reading; not used in modern Japanese.
ばんりょ
out-dated reading

Kanji

伴consort, accompany, bring with
侶companion, follower

Similar words

配はい偶ぐう者しゃ
配偶者 is a more formal, legal term for spouse, while 伴侶 carries a warmer, more literary nuance of a lifelong companion.
パートナー
パートナー is a common loanword for partner in business or personal contexts, whereas 伴侶 is more elevated and specifically implies a deep, often marital bond.

Etymology

Composed of 伴 (accompany) and 侶 (companion), both meaning companion. The word has been used in classical Chinese and Japanese to refer to a close associate or spouse.