二律背反（にりつはいはん）
JLPT N1 · noun
Pitch accent: atamadaka (head-high) — first mora high, then falls
Meaning: antinomy/dilemma
Example sentences
- 自由と平等の二律背反に悩む。 — They struggle with the antinomy between freedom and equality.
- 二律背反の中で決断する。 — They make a decision amid a contradiction with no easy resolution.
Related words
See it used in real works
- Example sentences from Japanese novels & web fiction (Massif)
- Hear “二律背反” pronounced in real videos (YouGlish)