Refers to the physical outer surface or exterior of something, often contrasted with the inside or substance.
outward appearance; looks; facade
Often used figuratively for a person's superficial appearance or a situation's outward show, implying it may not reflect the truth.
Just making the surface look nice is meaningless if the content doesn't match.
This cake looks hard on the outside, but it's soft inside.
Don't be fooled by his kind-looking exterior.
A superficial relationship based only on appearances won't lead to true friendship.
上辺 emphasizes the mere surface of something as opposed to its true nature, while 見せ掛け stresses that the surface was deliberately made to deceive.
うわべ is a colloquial word for a deceptive outward show, close to 表面 when it means mere appearances rather than truth.
Usually written in kana; the kanji spelling 上辺 is also common but less frequent.
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.
Kanji spelling; still widely used, but kana is more common.
Compound of 上 (うわ, 'upper') + 辺 (べ, 'vicinity, side'). The reading うわべ is a native Japanese word (yamato-kotoba).