How to say "equally" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- adverbCovers 'equally' as even, thorough coverage spread all over — e.g. mixing or applying something uniformly. Written in kana alone, it stresses the absence of gaps or uneven patches rather than comparison between people.
- 負けず劣らずまけずおとらずadverbMeans 'equally (well)' — no less than, neck and neck. Use it when comparing two or more people or things of comparable quality or ability, as in 'both are equally skilled'; not for even distribution.
- 等しくひとしくadverbCovers 'equally' in the sense of evenly, similarly, or alike — equal in degree or manner across a group. Suits formal written statements such as applying to everyone alike; less natural for casual speech.
- 一律にいちりつにadverbCovers 'equally' as uniform, even indiscriminate treatment — handling everything or everyone by the same rule. Best for policies or rules applied uniformly; its 'indiscriminately' gloss can add a slightly critical nuance.
- その一方そのいっぽうexpressionPoorly matched to 'equally': it is really a connective meaning 'meanwhile' or 'by the same token', introducing a contrasting or parallel statement. Seldom the word you want for the adverb 'equally'.
For 'equally' in the sense of even, uniform coverage use 「まんべんなく」; for equal quality or degree use 「負けず劣らず」 or 「等しく」; for uniform treatment use 「一律に」; 「その一方」 is really a discourse connective.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
