Translation and Meaning of: 平行 - heikou

The Japanese word 「平行」 (heikou) is composed of two characters: 「平」 and 「行」. The first character, 「平」 (hei), generally means "flat" or "level," while the second, 「行」 (kou), signifies "line" or "path." Together, these kanji form a term that translates to "parallel" in various applications, especially in mathematics and physics. Therefore, 「平行」 refers to lines or objects that are always equidistant from each other and never meet.

Originating from practical application in geometry, the expression heikou is often used in academic and scientific contexts when discussing figures and geometric shapes. Outside of this field, the word finds application in areas such as physics, where objects or vectors aligned parallelly can be described as 「平行」. The fundamental idea is the maintenance of a constant distance, emphasizing a form of stability or balance.

In addition to its technical use, 「平行」 can appear in more figurative contexts. For example, when describing events or developments that occur simultaneously and are comparable but not necessarily related, people may use this word to emphasize the simultaneity and independence of these occurrences. This reflective use of language illustrates the semantic flexibility of Japanese, where a single term can capture nuances in multiple contexts. This flexibility allows 「平行」 to encompass a broader range of meanings beyond its initial technical application.

Vocabulary

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Synonyms and similar words

• 並行 (へいこう) - Execute simultaneously, in parallel; it may refer to actions that occur at the same time, but with an emphasis on their parallelism.
• 同時に進行する (どうじにしんこうする) - Advance simultaneously; emphasizes that actions are happening at the same time, without necessarily implying parallelism.
• 並走する (へいそうする) - Run side by side; used to describe situations where objects or people are moving alongside each other.
• 並進する (へいしんする) - Advance in parallel; similar to the concept of moving forward at the same time, but with an emphasis on straight-line movement.
• 並列する (へいれつする) - Place in parallel; usually used in contexts such as circuits or structures, where entities are arranged side by side.
• 平行する (へいこうする) - Be parallel; it can be used in a broader sense that includes objects or actions that maintain the same direction and distance.

平行

Romaji: heikou
Kana: へいこう
Type: noun
L: -

Translation / Meaning: (indo) side by side; simultaneously; beside; at the same time; occur together; parallel; parallelism

Meaning in English: (going) side by side;concurrent;abreast;at the same time;occurring together;parallel;parallelism

Definition: facing the same direction or position.

Example Sentences - (平行) heikou

See below some example sentences:

平行線は永遠に交わらない。

Heikōsen wa eien ni majiwaranai

Linhas paralelas nunca se encontram.

The parallel line will not be exchanged forever.

• 平行線 (heikou-sen) - parallel lines
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 永遠に (eien ni) - forever
• 交わらない (mawaranai) - do not cross