平方

へいほう

square (e.g., meter, square)

JLPT N1

Character Breakdown

Understanding 平方

The term 平方 (píngfāng) primarily refers to the mathematical concept of 'square' — either as a unit of area (like square meters or square feet) or the operation of squaring a number (raising it to the power of two). It is commonly used in measurements of area and in math contexts involving square roots or powers.

Common Collocations

  • 平方 (square meter): standard unit for measuring area.
  • 平方公里 (square kilometer): used for larger land areas.
  • 平方 (square root): mathematical term for the root of a squared number.

Usage Notes

When used with units, 平方 always precedes the unit (e.g., 平方). When referring to the operation of squaring a number, it often appears in verbs or instructions (e.g., 数字平方). This word is formal and common in academic, scientific, and technical contexts.

Avoiding Confusion

Do not confuse 平方 with (square shape). 平方 relates to area or the mathematical operation, while describes the shape itself.

Example Sentences

This room is twenty square meters.

In math class, we learned the concept of square roots.

Please square this number and tell me the result.