直面 (zhí miàn) — to face (reality, danger, etc.)

Definition

A formal verb meaning 'to face directly / confront' (reality, problems, challenges) — emphasizes meeting something head-on rather than avoiding it, more literary than the everyday 面对.

verb
to face (reality, danger, etc.)

Examples

  • 直面。
    Tā bì xū zhí miàn xiàn shí.
    He must face reality.
  • 直面。
    Wǒ men yào yǒng gǎn dì zhí miàn kùn nan.
    We must bravely face difficulties.
  • 直面。
    Gōng sī bì xū zhí miàn shì chǎng de tiǎo zhàn.
    The company must face the challenges of the market.

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.

直zhídirect
面miànface

“直” gives directness and “面” gives facing, so the sense is to face something directly.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The earliest form of 直 pairs 目, an eye, with an unclear stroke 丨.

Open 直 →

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 →

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