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四面 (sì miàn) — the four sides, all sides, all around

Definition

A noun meaning 'all four sides / all around' — emphasizes the complete surrounding space rather than a single direction. Often used attributively (四面环山) or adverbially (四面都是…) to describe being enclosed on every side.

noun
the four sidesall sidesall around

Examples

  • 四面。
    Zhè zuò xiǎo chéng sì miàn huán shān.
    This small city is surrounded by mountains on all four sides.
  • ，四面。
    Zhàn zài shān dǐng, sì miàn de fēng jǐng dōu hěn měi.
    Standing on the mountaintop, the scenery on all sides is beautiful.
  • 四面。
    Jiào shì lǐ sì miàn dōu shì bái qiáng.
    The classroom's four walls are all white.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

四sìfour
面miànside

四 gives the number, and 面 gives the sides, so it means four sides.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 四 was drawn as a nose breathing out. It later came to be used for the word four.

Open 四 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

面 originally drew a man’s face, with one eye exaggerated; the horizontal stroke was added later.

Open 面 →
Appears in
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