双边

• Pinyin: shuāng biān
• Hanzi breakdown: 双 = 又 + 又 (double); 边 = 辶 + 力 (side/border)

Meaning

Bilateral; involving two parties or sides. Used in diplomatic, trade, and legal contexts to describe agreements or relations between two nations or entities.

Contrasts with 多边 (multilateral) and 单边 (unilateral). 双边协议 (bilateral agreement) and 双边关系 (bilateral relations) are standard terms in diplomacy and international trade.

Examples

1. 两国签署了一项双边贸易协定，以推动经济合作。 The two countries signed a bilateral trade agreement to promote economic cooperation.
2. 双边会谈的结果将对地区稳定产生深远影响。 The outcome of the bilateral talks will have far-reaching implications for regional stability.
3. 政府目前正积极推进多项双边合作项目。 The government is currently pushing forward a number of bilateral cooperation projects.

Usage Guide

Context: diplomacy, trade, politics, law

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 两国外长就双边关系正常化举行了正式会谈。(The foreign ministers of both countries held formal talks on normalising bilateral relations.)
• 该协议确立了双边投资保护与促进的基本原则。(The agreement established the basic principles for the protection and promotion of bilateral investment.)

Don't Say

• 我们有双边的问题 — use 双方都存在的问题 in everyday speech; 双边 is a formal diplomatic term not suited for casual conversation

Origin & History

双 (double/two) + 边 (side)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal