二重

• Reading: ふたえ
• Romaji: futae
• Kanji breakdown: 二 (two/double) + 重 (layer/fold) → double fold
• Pronunciation: /ɸɯ.ta.e/

Meaning

Double eyelid; a visible crease on the upper eyelid, considered a desirable eye shape in Japanese beauty culture.

二重 (double eyelid) versus 一重 (single eyelid, monolid) is one of the most discussed topics in Japanese beauty culture. Many Japanese people are born with single eyelids, and achieving a double eyelid crease — through tape, glue, or surgery — is extremely common and openly discussed. 二重 products are among the top-selling beauty items in drugstores, and 二重整形 (double eyelid surgery) is the most common cosmetic procedure in Japan. The topic is normalized to a degree that might surprise outsiders.

Examples

1. 二重のりで毎朝二重作ってるけどそろそろ埋没したい。 I use double eyelid glue every morning to create the crease, but I'm thinking about getting the thread-lift procedure soon.
2. 二重幅が広い日とそうじゃない日があるのなんでだろう。 I wonder why some days my double eyelid crease is wide and other days it's not.
3. 奥二重だからアイシャドウの塗り方工夫しないと映えない。 I have hooded double eyelids, so I have to get creative with how I apply eyeshadow or it doesn't show.

Usage Guide

Context: beauty, makeup, cosmetic surgery, daily conversation

Tone: matter-of-fact, beauty-focused

Do Say

• 二重テープ使ったら目の印象変わった。 (Using double eyelid tape changed my eye impression.)
• 二重の幅でメイクの仕方変えた方がいいらしいよ。 (Apparently you should change your makeup technique based on your double eyelid width.)

Don't Say

• 「一重より二重の方がかわいい」は外見差別 (Saying 'double eyelids are cuter than single' is appearance-based discrimination)

Common Mistakes

• Not knowing the subtypes — 二重 includes 平行二重 (parallel crease), 末広二重 (tapered crease), and 奥二重 (hidden/hooded double eyelid)

Origin & History

Standard Japanese word meaning 'double.' In beauty contexts, 二重 specifically refers to the double eyelid crease. The beauty standard has been discussed in Japan since at least the Meiji era, though the modern cosmetic industry around it exploded in the 1990s-2000s.

Cultural Context

Era: Long-standing beauty standard, modern industry from 1990s

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal beauty topic

Regional notes: Discussed across all of Japan. Double eyelid products are among the best-selling beauty items in Japanese drugstores. The topic is far more openly discussed than in most Western countries.