Proverb / Kotowaza
表裏一体
Two things that are so closely related that they cannot be separated.
Front and back as a single entity
Quick Answer
Two things that are so closely related that they cannot be separated.
- Literal Image
- Front and back as a single entity
- Closest Equivalent
- Two sides of the same coin
- How to Use It
- Used when discussing abstract concepts, social phenomena, or relationships where one side cannot exist without the other.
Meaning
This expression describes a relationship where two things are essentially part of the same whole. Even if they appear to be opposites, they are deeply and inseparably connected at their core, much like the front and back of a single object.
Literal Image
Front and back as a single entity
Equivalent Proverbs
Two sides of the same coin
Indicates two different aspects of the same reality.
Inseparable
Focuses on the impossibility of separating two things.
How to Use It
Used when discussing abstract concepts, social phenomena, or relationships where one side cannot exist without the other.
Tone
Neutral and philosophical in register.
Examples
自由と責任は表裏一体であり、権利だけを主張することはできない。
Freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin; one cannot claim rights alone.
芸術における才能と孤独は、往々にして表裏一体の関係にある。
In the arts, talent and loneliness exist in an inseparable relationship.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
While the individual kanji are relatively simple, this is a four-character idiomatic compound (yojijukugo) used in formal or intellectual contexts.
表
ひょう / hyou
front; surface
裏
り / ri
back; reverse
一体
いったい / ittai
one body; unity; single entity
Usage Profile
Usage note: This term is used for essential connections, not just for things that happen to be together.
Misread Risk
Do not use this for simple physical proximity; it implies a deeper, fundamental connection where one side defines or necessitates the other.
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Related Proverbs
Origin
Derived from the physical reality that the 'front' and 'back' of an object constitute a single body. Since it is impossible to separate one side from the other, the term came to be used for abstract concepts, human relationships, and social phenomena where two elements are inseparably linked.
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Source Note
Where did this entry get its data from? The reference links are listed below. To understand how to read this section, see Data Sources.