1.
life-size; life-sized; actual size
The same size as the real person or object, used especially for figures, statues, and representations.
Used on its own mainly in set compounds such as 等身の仏像 (life-size Buddha statue) and 等身像 (life-size statue). In everyday Japanese it is almost always used in the compound 等身大 (life-size). The literal meaning is physical size equal to the actual body, but it has a popular figurative use meaning "natural, authentic, unpretentious" — being one's true size without exaggeration.
Common collocations
- 等身大の — life-size; true-to-life
- 等身大の自分 — one's true/authentic self
- 等身大のパネル — life-size standee/panel
- 等身大で生きる — live authentically
Usage
等身大の自分 is a popular expression meaning to live without pretension, accepting oneself as one is. This figurative use is extremely common in self-help, personal essays, and everyday conversation.