平等(びょうどう)

平等(びょうどう) means equality in status, rights, or treatment. Functions as both a noun and a na-adjective.

AS NA-ADJECTIVE:

• 平等(びょうどう)な社会(しゃかい): an equal society
• 平等(びょうどう)な権利(けんり): equal rights
• 平等(びょうどう)に扱(あつか)う: to treat equally

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

• 男女(だんじょ)平等(びょうどう): gender equality
• 機会(きかい)平等(びょうどう): equal opportunity
• 不平等(ふびょうどう): inequality (antonym)

CONTRAST:

• 平等(びょうどう): equality (everyone gets the same treatment)
• 公平(こうへい): fairness (everyone is treated appropriately, not necessarily identically)
• 対等(たいとう): equal footing (between specific parties, especially in status or power)

USAGE NOTE:
平等(びょうどう) is commonly used in social and political discussions. The Buddhist concept of 平等(びょうどう) (all beings are equal) is the historical origin of this word in Japanese.