About
The character for "面" originated as a pictograph depicting the outline of a face, with a central eye or sometimes additional features, representing the primary meaning of the human face or countenance. In its traditional and more complex form, "麵", the character combined the "face" component with "麥" for wheat, specifically denoting wheat flour and its derivative foodstuffs like noodles, a meaning that was later assigned to the graphically simpler "面" as well. Over time, the semantic scope of "面" expanded metaphorically from the human face to encompass any flat surface or outward aspect of an object, leading to meanings such as the face of a clock, the surface of a table, or the facade of a building. This conceptual extension further evolved into more abstract uses, referring to a personal side or dimension, as in having many sides to one's character, and into a grammatical function as a suffix to indicate an entire scope or area, such as in the words for above, below, or within.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我爱吃面条。
我们明天见面吧。
他学习很认真，方面都很好。
面对困难，不要害怕。
这个房间的采光面很大。
请你全面考虑这个问题。
他在社会上有一定的面子。
这本书从哲学层面进行了分析。