永遠　vs 永久 difference in meaning?


I was reading a Japanese version of 日常{にちじょう} where one of the main characters
Yuuko is writing notecards for her English exam the next day (which she had
not studied for). As she was translating “forever,” she said 永久{とわ} where I
would have said 永遠{えいえん}. Is there a difference? Thank you!




There is almost no difference. To be exact, 永久 is used for material things
while 永遠 is used for abstract notions. For example, 永久 is used for tooth(永久歯).
Perpetual motion machine is 永久機関 in Japanese. And for instance 永遠 is used for
time(時間).




There is almost no difference. To be exact, 永久 is used for material things
while 永遠 is used for abstract notions. For example, 永久 is used for tooth(永久歯).
Perpetual motion machine is 永久機関 in Japanese. And for instance 永遠 is used for
time(時間).

