face · surface

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is めん, and the kun readings are おも, おもて, and つら. It has 9 strokes. It appears in words for faces or aspects of objects and their outer surfaces.
• Basic usage: 面 is read めん and 表面 is read ひょうめん.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 面 / 表面
  • 面 means face or aspect and is read めん. It refers to a physical face of an object or to one aspect of a matter.
  • 箱の広い面を下にして置いてください。 means “Place the box with its broad face down.”
  • 表面 means surface or outside and is read ひょうめん. It refers to the outer surface of an object or to its outward appearance.
  • 板の表面を滑らかに磨いた。 means “I polished the board's surface smooth.”