Usage patterns 〈 物もの 〉 の 表ひょう 面めん に 傷きず がつく to get the surface of something scratched
The surface of the car got scratched.
表ひょう 面めん を 覆おお う to cover the surface (of something)
Snow covered the surface of the ground.
表ひょう 面めん に 浮う く to float to the surface
Oil is floating on the surface of the water.
表ひょう 面めん 上じょう は 〜 on the surface; outwardly, though not really so
On the surface the two of them get along, but in reality they don't.
表ひょう 面めん だけの 〈 事こと 〉 merely superficial ~; not genuine
That was only a superficial smile.
Related words· 12 外面 is a more technical or formal word for the outer surface, while 表面 is the common everyday term for the same idea.
外見 focuses on the visible appearance of a person or thing, while 表面 in this sense stresses the superficial layer that may hide a different reality.
うわべ is a colloquial word for a deceptive outward show, close to 表面 when it means mere appearances rather than truth.
表面 refers specifically to the outer surface of something, while 上部 emphasizes the upper section or top area, which may not be a surface at all.
Show 8 more Show fewer 表面 is the general word for any object's surface, while 月面 specifically denotes the moon's surface.
表面 is the more formal, technical word for a physical surface, while 表 is the everyday word covering surface, front, and much more.
表面 refers to the outer surface of an object in a general sense, while 平面 specifically denotes a flat, often mathematically defined plane.
表面 is a general, neutral word for the outer surface of anything, while 肌 specifically evokes the tactile grain or texture of a material.
表面 is the technical or scientific term for a 'surface', whereas 面 （おもて ）is a more general word that often just means the front or top side of something.
表面 is a neutral word for the 'surface' of any object, whereas 地肌 specifically points to the natural, uncovered texture or grain of that surface.
表面 is the standard modern word for the outer surface of something, while 面 in this sense is more limited and usually appears inside compounds like 上っ面 .
表面 is the common word for the physical surface of an object, while 面 is used more in technical, geometric, or abstract contexts (e.g. a mathematical plane or an 'aspect' of something).
Opposites· 5 裏面 is the back or reverse side of something, the direct opposite of 表面 , the front or top surface.
内部 refers to the inside of something, contrasting with 表面 , which refers to its outer part or exterior.
本質 is the true, underlying nature of something, opposed to 表面 , which is the superficial appearance that may mask it.
Show 2 more Show fewer 表面 is the front or outward-facing surface, while 裏面 is the back or reverse side.
表面 means the surface of something, contrasting with 内面 's sense of the physical inside.
Don't confuse with 側面 means the 'side' or a particular 'aspect' of something, whereas 表面 specifically means the top or outer surface, not a lateral facet.
表面 means the visible outer surface (often the front or top) of something, while 背面 specifically means the back or rear surface.
表面 means the surface of any object or substance in general, while 水面 specifically means the surface of water.
表面 is a plain noun meaning 'surface/outward appearance', while 表立って is an adverbial expression describing the manner of an action being public.
Word family· 17 Show 7 more Show fewer on the surface; ostensibly; superficially
superficial; surface-level; apparent
free surface
surface treatment
coupon rate; nominal interest rate
surface treatment; surface machining; facing
surface resistance
See all 17 in Explore →
Etymology Compound of 表 (front, surface) and 面 (face, surface). The reading is on'yomi, reflecting a Sino-Japanese word formation.
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