Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Bilateral: Involving or agreed upon by two parties, nations, or sides. This is the primary and most common meaning, describing agreements, relations, or actions that are reciprocal and involve two participants.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Hai nước đã ký kết một hiệp định song phương. (The two countries signed a bilateral agreement.)
  • Cuộc đàm phán song phương đã đạt được tiến triển tốt. (The bilateral negotiations have achieved good progress.)
  • Đây là một vấn đề cần giải quyết trên tinh thần song phương. (This is an issue that needs to be resolved in a bilateral spirit.)

Advanced Usage

• In legal and diplomatic contexts, "song phương" strictly denotes mutuality and reciprocity between two specific entities. It is a formal term.
• It can be used to modify various nouns such as treaties, trade, cooperation, relations, or commitments to specify that the arrangement is exclusively between two parties.

Variants and Related Words

• Đa phương (adj): Multilateral. Involving more than two parties or nations.
  • Việt Nam tham gia nhiều hiệp định thương mại đa phương. (Vietnam participates in many multilateral trade agreements.)
• Đơn phương (adj): Unilateral. Performed or undertaken by only one side.
  • Một quyết định đơn phương có thể gây ra căng thẳng. (A unilateral decision can cause tension.)

Synonyms

• Bilateral: Involving two sides.
• Two-party: Consisting of or involving two parties.
• Reciprocal: Given and received in return; mutual.

Related Terms and Phrases

• Hợp đồng song phương: Bilateral contract. A binding agreement between two parties where each promises to perform an act in exchange for the other's act.
  • Hợp đồng song phương đòi hỏi nghĩa vụ từ cả hai bên. (A bilateral contract requires obligations from both parties.)
• Quan hệ song phương: Bilateral relations. The diplomatic, economic, or cultural relationship between two countries.
  • Quan hệ song phương giữa hai nước ngày càng phát triển. (Bilateral relations between the two countries are increasingly developing.)

adj

1. bilateral