面 (miàn) — (noun) face, side, surface; (classifier) for flat objects (mirrors, flags, drums, etc.)
Definition
At HSK 2, 面 is the everyday word for a flat surface or side (桌面上 'on the table'). Unlike 表面, it does not imply an outward appearance hiding something; 表面 is the outer layer, both literal and figurative.
noun
facesidesurface
classifier
for flat objects (mirrors, flags, drums, etc.)
Measure word · 面
Examples
- 。Wǒ mǎi le yí miàn jìng zi.I bought a mirror.
- 。Zhuō miàn hěn gān jìng.The table surface is very clean.
- 。Zhè zhāng zhǐ de měi yí miàn dōu xiě le zì.Each side of this paper has writing.
Origin
Pictograph六书liùshū
象形xiàngxíngA 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
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