1.
spitting image; very much alike; like two peas in a pod
Describes two people or things that look extremely similar, especially in physical appearance. Derives from the idea that when you cut a melon (瓜) in half, the two halves look identical.
親子で瓜二つだ。
The parent and child are the spitting image of each other.
双子の姉妹は瓜二つで見分けがつかない。
The twin sisters look so alike that you can't tell them apart.
若い頃の母の写真を見たら、娘と瓜二つで驚いた。
When I saw a photo of my mother when she was young, I was surprised at how much she looked like her daughter.
The etymology comes from cutting a 瓜 (gourd/melon) in half — the two halves are perfectly identical. This is one of the most common expressions for describing a strong family resemblance.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 瓜二つだ — to be the spitting image
- 父親と瓜二つ — the spitting image of one's father
- まるで瓜二つ — exactly alike
USAGE:
Most often used to describe resemblance between family members, especially parent and child. Can also be used for unrelated people who happen to look very similar. Typically used as a predicate with だ or の.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- そっくり — looking just like (more casual and broadly used; 瓜二つ is more vivid and literary)
- 生き写し — a living copy (more literary; emphasizes an almost uncanny resemblance)