一律

• Reading: いちりつ
• Romaji: ichiritsu
• Kanji breakdown: 一 (ichi) — one; 律 (ritsu) — rule, law, rhythm
• Pronunciation: /i.tɕi.ɾi.tsɯ/

Meaning

Uniform; even; across-the-board; equal. Applied without exception or distinction.

A na-adjective, adverb, and noun describing something applied equally to all without individual variation. Commonly used in policy and business contexts — 一律に値上げする (to raise prices across the board), 一律10%割引 (a flat 10% discount). Differs from 一様 in that 一律 emphasises systematic, rule-based uniformity.

Examples

1. 全社員に一律五千円の手当が支給された。 A flat allowance of 5,000 yen was paid to all employees.
2. 一律に判断するのは危険だ。 It's dangerous to judge things across the board.
3. 料金は一律三百円に設定されている。 The fee is set at a uniform 300 yen.

Usage Guide

Context: business, policy, pricing, regulations

Tone: businesslike

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 一 (ichi, one) + 律 (ritsu, rule/law/rhythm). Literally 'one rule' — everything governed by the same standard.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal