bilaterally
bilaterally — adverb
1. Done through the direct participation of two countries, organizations, or groups
Done through the direct participation of two countries, organizations, or groups — especially when they negotiate or reach an agreement together.
The two neighbouring countries agreed to resolve their border dispute bilaterally rather than through the United Nations.
resolve [dispute] bilaterally — between two parties
Constanza and the Korean firm negotiated bilaterally for eight months before signing the final contract.
negotiate bilaterally with [company/country]
Trade was conducted bilaterally between Brazil and India, bypassing the larger regional bloc.
The two national libraries agreed bilaterally to share digital archives and rare book collections.
Sana and the Vietnamese publisher negotiated bilaterally to distribute the translated novels across Southeast Asia.
- mutually
broader — can describe any shared action or feeling, not limited to exactly two parties
- reciprocally
more formal; emphasises equal exchange or return action
- unilaterally
done by one side alone without agreement from the other
- multilaterally
involving three or more parties
文法句型
[verb] bilaterally
bilaterally [agreement/negotiation/trade]
用法筆記
Common in formal and political contexts. Often paired with verbs like 'negotiate', 'resolve', 'agree', and nouns like 'agreement', 'talks', 'relations'.
常見錯誤
2. Involving both halves of the body — the left half and the right half — at the sa
Involving both halves of the body — the left half and the right half — at the same time, or both members of a paired organ such as the ears or kidneys.
After the stroke, doctors checked the patient bilaterally for any difference in strength between his left arm and right arm.
checked [patient] bilaterally — both sides of body
Piotr's hearing was tested bilaterally, and the results showed normal function in both ears.
The surgeon examined the lymph nodes bilaterally before deciding on the treatment plan.
Brain activity was recorded bilaterally, revealing similar patterns in both hemispheres.
The physiotherapist instructed Bao to perform the leg stretches bilaterally to build equal strength.
- on both sides
less formal, everyday alternative
- symmetrically
emphasises mirror-image arrangement rather than involvement of both sides
- unilaterally
affecting only one side of the body
文法句型
[verb] bilaterally
bilaterally symmetrical
affected bilaterally
用法筆記
Frequently used in medical reports and anatomical descriptions. The opposite is 'unilaterally' (affecting one side only).
bilaterally — adjective
- bilaterallypositive
- more bilaterallycomparative
- most bilaterallysuperlative
1. Involving two countries, organizations, or people who have agreed to work togeth
Involving two countries, organizations, or people who have agreed to work together or have a shared responsibility toward each other.
Japan and Australia signed a bilateral trade deal that lowered tariffs on beef and cars.
bilateral trade deal / agreement
The two leaders held bilateral talks in Jakarta to discuss regional security.
A bilateral contract means both parties must fulfil their promises or face legal consequences.
Faisal represented his company in bilateral negotiations with the German supplier.
The bilateral relationship between the two neighbours improved after the new bridge was built.
- unilateral
done by one side only
- multilateral
involving three or more sides
文法句型
bilateral [noun]
[noun] is bilateral
用法筆記
The most frequent sense of the word. Distinguish from 'multilateral' (three or more parties) and 'unilateral' (one party acting alone).
常見錯誤
2. Having two sides, surfaces, or aspects that can be looked at or considered separ
Having two sides, surfaces, or aspects that can be looked at or considered separately.
The ancient coin was bilateral, with the emperor's face on one side and a war scene on the other.
bilateral coin — two distinct sides
A bilateral leaf has an upper surface that catches sunlight and a lower surface with tiny air holes.
The restaurant's menu was bilateral — the lunch specials were listed on one side and dinner options on the other.
The silk scarf was bilateral — printed with floral patterns on one side and plain maroon on the other.
- two-sided
more common and less formal
- double-faced
can describe fabrics or materials usable on either side
- one-sided
having only one side or surface
文法句型
bilateral [noun]
用法筆記
This sense refers to physical objects with two distinct sides, not to relationships between parties. It is less common than sense 1.
3. Concerning both halves of the body — the left half and the right half — or both
Concerning both halves of the body — the left half and the right half — or both parts of a paired organ such as the ears, kidneys, or lungs.
The MRI revealed bilateral damage to the frontal lobes of the brain.
bilateral damage to [body part]
Putri was diagnosed with bilateral knee arthritis after complaining of pain in both legs.
Bilateral hearing aids were fitted to help the patient hear equally from both sides.
The doctor noted bilateral swelling in the ankles and prescribed rest for both feet.
Tamar's bilateral arm fracture meant she could not use either hand for several weeks.
- two-sided
less formal but less precise in medical contexts
- both-sided
informal, not used in medical writing
- unilateral
affecting only one side of the body
文法句型
bilateral [body part]
bilateral [condition]
用法筆記
Common in medical diagnoses. The opposite term is 'unilateral' (affecting one side only). Do not confuse with sense 4 (bilateral symmetry in biology).
4. Having a body shape or structure where the left half and the right half are mirr
Having a body shape or structure where the left half and the right half are mirror images of each other along a central line.
Butterflies have a bilateral body plan — the pattern on the left wing matches the right wing exactly.
bilateral body plan — mirror symmetry
Most animals that move actively, from fish to humans, are bilaterally symmetrical rather than radially symmetrical.
The biology textbook explained that crabs display bilateral symmetry, with a matching claw on each side.
A bilateral animal can be split into two matching halves by a single cut down the middle of its body.
Kofi drew a diagram showing how a bilateral animal like a beetle has matching legs on the left and right.
- bilaterally symmetrical
the full adjectival phrase more commonly used in biology
- radially symmetrical
having symmetry around a central point (e.g. starfish, jellyfish)
- asymmetrical
having no symmetry at all
文法句型
bilateral symmetry
[organism] is bilateral
用法筆記
This is a technical term in biology. The noun form 'bilateral symmetry' is more common than the adjective alone. Animals with bilateral symmetry are called 'bilaterians'.