両 輪(りょうりん)

りょうりん

noun

both wheels; (figuratively) two essential elements that work together

1. both wheels (of a vehicle)

The two wheels of a bicycle, cart, or similar two-wheeled object. The literal sense, less common in modern speech than the figurative one.

自転車(じてんしゃ)の両輪(りょうりん)を点検(てんけん)した。

I inspected both wheels of the bicycle.

2. two essential elements (working in tandem)

Figurative: two things that are both indispensable and only work together — like the two wheels of a cart, where one alone cannot move. A standard metaphor in business, policy, and education writing.

勉強(べんきょう)と部活(ぶかつ)は学校生活(がっこうせいかつ)の両輪(りょうりん)だ。

Study and club activities are the two wheels of school life.

営業(えいぎょう)と開発(かいはつ)は会社(かいしゃ)の両輪(りょうりん)と言(い)える。

Sales and development are the two wheels of the company, so to speak.

経済成長(けいざいせいちょう)と環境保護(かんきょうほご)は現代社会(げんだいしゃかい)の両輪(りょうりん)として機能(きのう)しなければならない。

Economic growth and environmental protection must function as the two wheels of modern society.

Compound of 両(りょう) (both) + 輪(りん) (wheel). The figurative sense (sense 2) is far more common today and is a fixed metaphor: "like a cart's two wheels, both are necessary and neither can replace the other."

COMMON COLLOCATIONS (figurative):

〜の両輪(りょうりん): the two pillars of 〜
両輪(りょうりん)として機能(きのう)する: to function as the two essential parts
両輪(りょうりん)を担(にな)う: to take on one of the two roles
車(くるま)の両輪(りょうりん): like the two wheels of a cart (a set idiom)

Common patterns

"A と B は X の両輪(りょうりん)" (A and B are the two wheels of X) is the canonical frame, asserting that both are indispensable.

Similar words

両立(りょうりつ): balancing two things — about juggling them, not their being inseparable
表裏一体(ひょうりいったい): two sides of the same coin — emphasizes inseparability of opposites, not partnership

Related Words

Compare: 両立(りょうりつ) (balancing two things)

Compare: 表裏一体(ひょうりいったい) (two sides of the same coin)

Related: 前輪(ぜんりん) (front wheel)

Related: 後輪(こうりん) (rear wheel)

general

Added 2026.6.6 12:13 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02

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