当面

當面

dāngmiàn

adverb HSK 7 #6,663

Meanings

1 face to face; in person; to someone's face

Characters

to face; in front of

Literally 'facing the face' — doing something directly in someone's presence, not behind their back.

Examples

有什么意见请当面说。

Yǒu shénme yìjiàn qǐng dāngmiàn shuō.

If you have any opinions, please say them to my face.

他当面道歉了。

Tā dāngmiàn dàoqiàn le.

He apologized in person.

这件事我想跟你当面谈谈。

Zhè jiàn shì wǒ xiǎng gēn nǐ dāngmiàn tántán.

I'd like to discuss this matter with you face to face.

Tips

usage

当面 often implies directness or courage — saying something 当面 means you're not gossiping behind someone's back. 当面一套，背后一套 (one way to your face, another behind your back) describes a two-faced person.

Stroke Order

当 dāng

面 miàn