Definition
侧面 (cè miàn) refers to the side or lateral surface of an object (e.g., the side of a building), and also figuratively means 'aspect' or 'perspective' (e.g., 'from multiple angles'). It differs from 面 (miàn), which is a general word for any face or surface; 侧面 specifically contrasts with 正面 (front) and 背面 (back). For abstract senses, 方面 (fāng miàn) is more common for 'field' or 'respect', while 侧面 emphasizes a particular viewpoint or profile.
noun
sidelateral surface (physical)aspectangleperspective (figurative)
Examples
- 侧面。Zhè zuò dàlóu de cè miàn yǒu yì pái chuānghu.This building has a row of windows on its side.
- 侧面。Wǒmen yīnggāi cóng duō gè cè miàn kǎochá zhège wèntí.We should examine this issue from multiple angles.
- 侧面。Tā de cè miàn zhào bǐ zhèngmiàn zhào gèng yǒu gèxìng.His profile photo has more character than his personality than the front-facing one.
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