仮か面めん

か

め

ん

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

A mask worn over the face, especially in performance, costume, ritual, or fictional contexts. For everyday sanitary masks, マスク is usually the more natural word.

役やく者しゃは仮か面めんをかぶって舞ぶ台たいに立たった。
The actor went on stage wearing a mask.
壁かべには古ふるい仮か面めんが飾かざられている。
An old mask is displayed on the wall.

noun

disguise; guise; mask

Figurative use for a false outward appearance that hides someone's real nature, feelings, or intentions. Common in expressions such as 仮面をかぶる and 仮面の下.

彼かれは親しん切せつな人ひとの仮か面めんをかぶっていた。
He was wearing the guise of a kind person.
笑え顔がおの仮か面めんの下したで、彼かの女じょは怒いかりを隠かくしていた。
Behind the mask of a smile, she was hiding her anger.

See all 33 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

仮か面めんを外はずすto take off a mask
舞ぶ台たいが終おわると、彼かれは仮か面めんを外はずして素す顔がおを見みせた。
When the performance ended, he took off his mask and showed his real face.
仮か面めんの下したに〈事こと〉を隠かくすto hide something behind a mask (figuratively)
彼かれは笑え顔がおの仮か面めんの下したに本ほん当とうの気き持もちを隠かくしていた。
He hid his true feelings behind a mask of smiles.
〈人ひと〉の仮か面めんを剥はぐto strip away someone's mask, exposing their true nature
記き者しゃはついに政せい治じ家かの仮か面めんを剥はいだ。
The journalist finally stripped away the politician's mask.

Expressions

仮か面めんをかぶるwear a mask · hide one's true intentions; put on a false front

Kanji

仮sham, temporary, interim
面mask, face, features

Related words· 6

マスクN3sense 1
マスク is the everyday word for medical, sports, or protective face coverings, while 仮面 suggests a theatrical, ceremonial, or fully face-covering mask.
覆ふく面めんN1sense 1
覆面 emphasizes hiding one's identity (as with a masked robber), while 仮面 can also be a theatrical prop or a figurative false persona.
変へん装そう sense 1
変装 refers to disguising one's whole appearance with clothes and makeup, while 仮面 specifically evokes a mask covering the face.
能のう面めん
仮面 is the broad term for any mask or disguise, while 能面 refers specifically to the fixed, expressionless masks used in Noh theater.

Show 2 more

面めんN1
仮面 specifically means a mask worn to hide one's identity or true feelings, whereas 面 more broadly covers protective face gear (as in kendo) as well as the face itself.
ペルソナ
仮面 literally means a physical mask, used figuratively for hiding true feelings, whereas ペルソナ is the more abstract, psychological term for a presented social identity.

Opposites

素す顔がおN1sense 2
素顔 means one's true, unmasked face or genuine self, the opposite of the false front implied by 仮面 in its figurative sense.

Counted with

枚まいN3
counter for thin, flat objects; sheet; plate; coin · serving of soba; portion of gyōza · sumo rank position; wrestler at a given rank · field; rice paddy plot · palanquin bearer

Word family· 7

仮か面めんライダー
Kamen Rider
仮か面めん劇げき
mask play; masque
仮か面めん夫ふう婦ふ
couple who only go through the motions of being husband and wife
仮か面めん浪ろう人にん
student retaking entrance exams while enrolled elsewhere
仮か面めん舞ぶ踏とう会かい
masquerade ball; masked ball

Show 2 more

仮か面めん高こう血けつ圧あつ
masked hypertension
スマイル仮か面めん症しょう候こう群ぐん
smile mask syndrome

Written forms

仮か面めんUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling for both the physical mask and figurative disguise senses.
カメンUsage<1%

Etymology

A Sino-Japanese compound written with 仮, associated here with false or provisional appearance, and 面, face or surface; literally a 'false face' or mask.