futari

Futari (二人, ふたり) is a Japanese noun meaning “two people” or “the two of us.” It denotes a pair of individuals and is used to refer to the two people involved as a unit. In sentences, futari can function as the subject or object with particles such as wa, ga, o, and ni, depending on its grammatical role.

To indicate an action performed by two people together, the expression futari de is used. For example, Futari de eiga o mimashita means “We watched a movie together.” The phrase futari no + noun marks something belonging to or associated with the two people, as in futari no kuruma (“the two of them’s car” or the car belonging to the two). Futar(i) is common in everyday Japanese and does not inherently imply romance; it can refer to friends, colleagues, or any pair.

Because futari is a basic concept in Japanese, it also appears in media and titles. The word has been used as a title or key motif in songs, films, and manga, typically highlighting the relationship or interaction between two protagonists or participants.

Notes:

- The kanji for futari is 二人, read futari.

- It can be used with various particles to indicate subject, object, location, or means, and it contrasts with mittsu (“three people”) and others for larger groups.

- In casual speech, furi may be shortened in rapid or colloquial contexts, but futari remains the standard form.