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For example:

```

    人間の顔は左右対称ではない
    A person's face is asymmetrical.
    
```

The above is simple, but how about:

```

    漢字の形が左右対称である。
    
```

"The shape of the Kanji character is symmetrical."

The problem I have with the above sentence is "symmetrical" and "左右対称" have
different meanings, "symmetrical" is similar to "proportional" whereas "左右対称"
has the meaning that if you "flip it over" the shape doesn't change
(i.e.金、田、山, etc.). I was thinking "mirror-image", but usually you are
contrasting one thing to another.

Any suggestions on how to express the meaning 左右対称 in English correctly in the
above sentence?
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2012-03-08T02:32:34.330
4952
2012-03-09T22:59:56.547
1217
question
translation
How best to translate 左右対称 in this context?
`対称` 'symmetry' has many instances. It means that if you switch some set of
properties, coordinates, values, etc. in a certain way, the result can be
assimilated in some way to the original.

In Japanese high school, students learn about `対称式` (symmetrical polynomials)
like "a^2b + ab^2" and `基本対称式` (elementary symmetrical polynomials) like
"a+b", "ab". I can also recall my memory from high school that in physics,
there are things like `CP-対称性` 'C(harge)-P(arity) symmetry' or `CPT-対称性`
'C(harge)-P(arity)-T(ime) symmetry'.

In Japanese elementary school, students usually learn two types of symmetry:
`線対称` (line symmetry; symmetry with respect to folding along a straight line)
and `点対称` (point symmetry; symmetry with respect to rotation around a point).
`左右対称` is a special case of `線対称`, particularly when there is a notion of
which way is left and which is right. You can also have `上下対称`, etc. To
express `左右対称の漢字` in English, you can say something like "a Chinese character
that is **line symmetric with vertical axis** " or "a Chinese character that
is **line symmetric horizontal-wise** ".
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-08T02:43:11.697
4954
2012-03-09T22:59:56.547
2012-03-09T22:59:56.547
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answer
Isn't this a question for English Language & Usage rather than Japanese, since
you are clear on the Japanese meaning and looking for a way to express it in
English...? I hate constantly seeing questions closed here though...

...In any case I disagree that "symmetrical" is closer to "proportional" than
"if you flip it over the shape doesn't change". Symmetry is the precise
technical term for the latter concept -- there is no more fitting word. To be
more descriptive, you could say they have "vertical symmetry", or less
ambiguously, "left-right symmetry".

[See the Wikipedia article on
symmetry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry).
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-03-08T02:47:50.653
4955
2012-03-08T02:47:50.653
315
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answer