背面 (bèi miàn) — the back side, the reverse side (of an object,… | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

背面 is the reverse side of a flat object (paper, card, coin) — physical surfaces only. Compare 反面, which also covers the 'opposite/negative' side of an argument or issue. 后面 means spatial 'behind/back' for places and time.

noun

the back sidethe reverse side (of an object, paper, etc.)

Examples

背面。
Qǐng bǎ míng zì xiě zài bèi miàn.
Please write your name on the back.
背面。
Zhè zhāng kǎ piàn de bèi miàn yǒu shù zì.
The back of this card has numbers.
背面。
Fáng zi de bèi miàn yǒu yí gè xiǎo huā yuán.
There is a small garden at the back of the house.

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.

背 gives the back, 面 gives the side.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

北月背

Meaning part形符xíngfú

月Written in full as肉ròumeat

Sound part声符shēngfú

北

北běi背bèi

Same sound today

背 was first written as 北; 北 gives the sound, and 肉 (meat, written as 月 here) was added to separate it from 北’s north meaning.

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Directions

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