引き分け（ひきわけ、hikiwake）
- draw

The Japanese word 引き分け (ひきわけ) means a "draw," "tie," or "stalemate" in a competition or game. It signifies that neither side won; the scores or outcomes were equal. It can also refer to situations where a conclusion or decision is not reached, and the matter is unresolved. 引き分け is the noun form.

⚫︎試合は引き分けに終わった。 Translation: The game ended in a draw. ⚫︎両チームは 3 対 3 で引き分けだった。 Translation: Both teams tied at 3-3. ⚫︎交渉は引き分けで終わった。 Translation: The negotiations ended in a stalemate.

You use 引き分け when discussing the outcome of sports games, competitions, or even discussions where there's no clear winner or decision. It is used in situations where there is no definite result that favor any side. For example, it is used when the score is the same between teams, or when negotiations do not lead to an agreement. It is a common word, understood by people of all ages and backgrounds.

引き分け is primarily written in hiragana as ひきわけ. The kanji form is 引き分け. The kanji 引き means "to pull" or "to draw," and 分け means "to divide" or "to share." The okurigana is standard, with the kanji 分け being written.

⚫︎同点 (どうてん) - "Tie score" or "equal points" ⚫︎ドロー (dorō) - "Draw" (loanword from English) ⚫︎イーブン (ībun) - "Even" (loanword from English) (used specifically in sports)

⚫︎勝ち (かち) - "Win" ⚫︎勝利 (しょうり) - "Victory" ⚫︎負け (まけ) - "Loss," "defeat" ⚫︎敗北 (はいぼく) - "Defeat"

サッカーの試合は、どちらのチームも得点できず、０対０の引き分けだった。 ・Translation: The soccer match ended in a 0-0 draw because neither team could score. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the match's outcome was a draw because no goals were scored by either team.

交渉は最後まで平行線をたどり、引き分けに終わった。 ・Translation: The negotiations went on until the end without converging, and ended in a stalemate. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the negotiation ended without a final decision because the two side couldn't reach a conclusion.

The word 引き分け comes from the verb 引き分ける (ひきわける), which means "to divide," "to share," or "to draw." In the context of games or competitions, it means to divide the outcome, resulting in neither side winning. The word is composed of 引き (to draw, pull) and 分け (to divide, share), indicating that both sides “draw” or “share” the result, hence, no clear winner or loser.