Translation guide
How to express 'face someone' in Japanese, covering physical orientation, confronting someone, and metaphorical facing.
He turned to face me.
Please face the teacher when you speak.
Means 'to face each other' or 'to sit opposite'. Often used for two people facing one another.
I sat facing him.
Similar to 向かい合う, but can also imply confronting someone emotionally or seriously.
I talked with her face to face.
The speaker wants to express confronting someone directly, often about a problem or difficult topic.
Means 'to confront' or 'to stand up to' someone, often in a challenging situation.
He confronted his boss.
A stronger word for 'confront', often used for showdowns or decisive confrontations.
He faced his enemy.
Literally 'say to someone's face', used when directly telling someone something unpleasant.
The speaker wants to express facing a situation, fact, or reality, often metaphorically.
The English verb 'face' covers many meanings. Do not directly translate 'face someone' as 顔をする or similar. Use the appropriate phrase based on context.
turn his face (unnatural as 'face him')
It's hard to complain to someone's face.
She is facing her illness.