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表看板 (omotekanban) Japanese meaning: sign out front | Kotomora
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か
い
て
ある
。
The sign out front of that shop says 'Ramen' in big letters.
He is just a front; the real manager is someone else.
Related words 看かん 板ばん 看板 is a general term for a signboard or招牌, while 表看板 specifically emphasizes the sign placed out front or the public-facing aspect.
フロント フロント is a loanword often used for a hotel front desk or a front organization, but 表看板 carries a stronger nuance of a deceptive or nominal front.
Etymology Compound of 表 (front, surface) and 看板 (signboard). The figurative sense developed from the idea of a signboard that presents a public image, often hiding the true nature behind it.
