一面

yīmiàn

adverb HSK 7-9 #2,635

Meanings

1 on the one hand; simultaneously
2 one side; one aspect

Characters

face; side; surface

Examples

她一面笑一面哭。

Tā yīmiàn xiào yīmiàn kū.

She was laughing and crying at the same time.

他一面工作一面学习。

Tā yīmiàn gōngzuò yīmiàn xuéxí.

He works and studies at the same time.

我们只见过一面。

Wǒmen zhǐjiàn guò yīmiàn.

We've only met once.

Tips

grammar

一面...一面... is a correlative pattern meaning 'doing X while doing Y simultaneously.' It's interchangeable with 一边...一边... in most cases, but 一面...一面... sounds slightly more literary and is preferred in writing.

Stroke Order

一 yī

面 miàn