Japanese word

倍

Pronunciation

Romajibai

Meaning

  • nountwice, double

Example

この箱はあの箱の倍の大きさです。ko no bako wa a no bako no bai no ō ki sa de su

This box is twice the size of that box.

Illustration for 倍 (twice)

More examples

このりんごはあのりんごの倍の重さです。ko no ri n go wa a no ri n go no bai no omo sa de su

This apple is double the weight of that apple.

毎日の練習時間を倍にすると、上達が早くなります。mai nichi no ren shū ji kan o bai ni su ru to jō tatsu ga haya ku na ri ma su

If you double your daily practice time, you will improve faster.

Core concept

It compares one amount with another by showing that the first contains two equal units of the second.

Common phrases

  • 倍になるbai ni na ru

    double

  • 倍にするbai ni su ru

    double

  • 倍の大きさbai no ō ki sa

    twice the size

  • 倍の量bai no ryō

    twice the amount

Definition in Japanese

基準となる数量や大きさなどを一つ分としたときの、二つ分に相当する量。ki jun to na ru sū ryō ya ō ki sa na do o hito tsu bun to shi ta to ki no futa tsu bun ni sō tō su ru ryō

Word origin

The Sino-Japanese noun 倍 (bai, "double; times") comes from the Chinese character 倍, which has the meaning "double" or "increase by a multiple."

Usage tips

  • In Japanese, 倍 (bai) can follow a quantity, as in 二倍 (nibai), while English usually puts twice before the measured expression.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word