正しょう面めん切きって

しょ

う

め

ん

き

っ

て

Meanings

expression, adverb

openly; directly; to someone's face

Used when confronting someone or stating something without evasion, often in a challenging or bold manner. Typically modifies verbs of saying, opposing, or confronting.

彼かれは上じょう司しに正しょう面めん切きって反はん対たい意い見けんを述のべた。
He openly expressed his opposing opinion to his boss.
正しょう面めん切きって文もん句くを言いう勇ゆう気きはなかった。
I didn't have the courage to complain directly to their face.

See all 3 example sentences ›

Kanji

正correct, justice, righteous
面mask, face, features
切cut, cutoff, be sharp

Related words

はっきり
はっきり means 'clearly' or 'plainly' in a general sense, while 正面切って emphasizes a direct, face-to-face confrontation without hiding one's stance.
ずばり
ずばり means 'frankly' or 'point-blank', often for a single sharp remark; 正面切って implies a more deliberate, head-on approach in a situation.

Written forms

正しょう面めん切きって
Standard kanji spelling for this adverbial phrase.
正しょう面めんきって
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less common but still encountered.

Etymology

From 正面 (しょうめん, 'front, directly facing') + 切る (きる, 'to cut, to do decisively') in the て-form. The phrase literally suggests cutting through to the front, i.e., confronting head-on.