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表面上

biǎomiànshang
adverb HSK 6

Meanings

  1. 1 on the surface; superficially
  2. 2 outwardly; apparently

Characters

表
biǎo
surface; outside
面
miàn
face; surface
上
shang
on; upon
On the surface — superficially, what appears to be true.

Examples

表面上他很开心，其实内心很难过。
Biǎomiàn shang tā hěn kāixīn, qíshí nèixīn hěn nánguò.
On the surface he seems happy, but deep down he's sad.
他们表面上关系很好，私下里却经常吵架。
Tāmen biǎomiàn shang guānxì hěn hǎo, sīxià lǐ què jīngcháng chǎojià.
They seem to get along on the surface, but they often argue in private.
表面上看起来很简单，做起来却很难。
Biǎomiàn shang kàn qǐlái hěn jiǎndān, zuò qǐlái què hěn nán.
It looks simple on the surface, but it's actually hard to do.

Tips

usage
表面上...其实/实际上... is a very common pattern: 'On the surface... but actually...' It contrasts appearance with reality.

Stroke Order

表 biǎo
面 miàn
上 shàng