層そう倍ばい

Meanings

suffix, counter

times; -fold

Attaches to a number to express multiplication or multiple. Used in contexts like prices, amounts, or comparisons.

この土と地ちの値ね段だんは十じゅう年ねん前まえの三さん層そう倍ばいになった。
The price of this land has become three times what it was ten years ago.
彼かれの収しゅう入にゅうは私わたしの五ご層そう倍ばいだ。
His income is five times mine.

Expressions

薬くすり九く層そう倍ばいmedicines are sold at huge markups; pharmaceuticals are highly profitable

Grammar

一人ひとり・二に本ほん・三さん冊さつnumbers and countersN5

Kanji

層stratum, social class, layer
倍double, twice, times
相inter-, mutual, together
双pair, set, comparison

Related words

倍ばい
倍 is the standard word for 'times' or 'double' and is more common in everyday speech. 層倍 is a more formal or emphatic suffix used with numbers.

Written forms

層そう倍ばいUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling for this suffix/counter meaning 'times'.
相そう倍ばい
Alternate kanji spelling; less common than 層倍.
双そう倍ばい
Alternate kanji spelling; less common than 層倍.

Etymology

Compound of 層 (そう, 'layer' or 'stratum') and 倍 (ばい, 'times' or 'double'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the combination conveys the idea of multiple layers or multiplication.