永と遠わ

と

わ

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun, na-adjective, noun which may take the genitive case particle 'no'

poetical term

Poetic or literary term for an unchanging, everlasting state. Often used in set phrases like 永久の別れ or in lyrical expressions.

二人ふたりの愛あいは永久とわに続つづくと信しんじていた。
I believed our love would last forever.
永久とわの平へい和わを願ねがってやまない。
I never stop wishing for everlasting peace.

See all 5 example sentences ›

Kanji

永eternity, long, lengthy
久long time, old story
遠distant, far
常usual, ordinary, normal

Related words

永えい遠えん
Same kanji, but えいえん is the standard modern reading for 'eternity'. とわ is more poetic and less common in everyday speech.
永えい久きゅう
Also means 'eternity', but えいきゅう is more formal and often used in technical or legal contexts. とわ carries a softer, more emotional nuance.

Written forms

永と遠わUsage3%
Most common kanji spelling for とわ, though also read えいえん.
とわUsage97%
Kana spelling is common in modern writing, especially in lyrics and casual contexts.
永久とわ
Also read えいきゅう; used for とわ in poetic or literary contexts.
常とわ
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form for とわ.

Etymology

Derived from classical Japanese とわ (永久), a compound of と (eternal) and は (thing). The kanji 永久 and 永遠 are later Chinese borrowings applied to this native word.