形影一如 keiei ichinyo Inseparable as Form and Shadow

形影一如 says two go together as a body and its shadow. Writers have used it of almost any pair, people or things: friends, brothers, comrades, parents and children. One dictionary gives it two senses: that the good or evil in the heart shows in what a person does, and that a husband and wife are close. Which pair it names is yours.

形影一如 is composed of the word 形影 (read keiei) meaning "form and shadow" and 一如 (read ichinyo) meaning "oneness".

We want you to be as happy with the meaning as you are with Master Takase's art. To learn more, visit Philology of 形影一如.

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