等とう

noun, noun, used as a suffix, counter

class; rank; order

Used as a noun, suffix, or counter to indicate a grade, rank, or class in a hierarchy. Common in formal contexts like competitions, evaluations, or classifications.

• 彼かれは大たい会かいで二に等とうを取とった。

  He took second class in the competition.

• このホテルは一いっ等とうの評ひょう価かを受うけている。

  This hotel has received a first-class rating.

suffix

et cetera; and the like

Suffix used in formal or written Japanese to mean 'and so on' or 'etc.' Similar to など but more literary. Often attached to nouns.

See also: など

• 会かい議ぎには部ぶ長ちょう等とうが出しゅっ席せきした。

  The department head and others attended the meeting.

• 東とう京きょう、大おお阪さか等とうの大だい都と市しでは人じん口こうが集しゅう中ちゅうしている。

  In large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, the population is concentrated.

prefix

equal; iso-

Prefix used in technical or academic terms to indicate equality or sameness, such as in 等圧線 (isobar) or 等距離 (equidistance). Not productive in everyday speech.

• 天てん気き図ずには等とう圧あつ線せんが描えがかれている。

  Isobars are drawn on the weather map.

• 二に点てん間かんの等とう距きょ離り点てんを求もとめる。

  Find the point equidistant between the two points.