Grammar Info
N2 Lesson 6: 3/20

反面(はんめん)
while, on the other hand, although, however

Structure
Verb + 反面
[い]Adjective + 反面
[な]Adjective + (1) + 反面
Noun + である + 反面
Phrase + + (、)+ 反面

(1) である
Details
Register Standard
使用域 一般
Information
反面(はんめん), a noun meaning 'the opposing side', is a construction in Japanese that appears between two phrases, to show two contrasting or opposite features of a single person or thing. This usually translates as 'while (A), (B)', 'although (A), also (B)', 'on the other hand to (A), (B)'.
Being a noun, 反面(はんめん), can be used after any word that could create a modified noun, such as verbs, い-Adjectives, な-Adjectives, or even other nouns followed by である.
  • 都内(とない)に引(ひ)っ越(こ)して色々(いろいろ)と便利(べんり)になった反面(はんめん)、家賃(やちん)が前(まえ)住(す)んでいた所(ところ)の倍(ばい)になった。
    While moving to Tokyo has made many things more convenient, the rent has doubled from where I used to live.
  • カリフォルニアの夏(なつ)は日本(にほん)より熱(あつ)い反面(はんめん)、湿度(しつど)が低(ひく)いので過(す)ごしやすいそうです。
    Although summer in California is hotter than Japan, I heard that it is more comfortable because of the low humidity.
  • あの日本語(にほんご)教室(きょうしつ)の先生(せんせい)達(たち)は日本語(にほんご)を教(おし)えるのがとても上手(じょうず)な反面(はんめん)、生徒(せいと)達(たち)にはとても厳(きび)しいそうだ。
    Although the teachers at that Japanese language school are very good at teaching Japanese, they are very strict with their students.
  • 田中(たなか)くんはとても頭(あたま)のいい子(こ)である反面(はんめん)、怠(なま)け者(もの)なのでいつも先生(せんせい)に怒(おこ)られています。
    Although Tanaka-kun is very smart, he is always getting scolded by the teacher because he is lazy.
Caution - Because 反面(はんめん), is used to express contradictions, it will most often describe a positive and a negative, but cannot describe a positive and another positive, or a negative and another negative.
  • あのパティシエが作(つく)るお菓子(おかし)はとても美味(おい)しそうに見(み)える反面(はんめん)、食(た)べてみると味(あじ)はいまいちだそうだ。
    While the pastries made by that pastry chef look very tasty, the taste is not so good when you try them.
  • あのパティシエが作(つく)るお菓子(かし)はとても美味(おい)しそうに見(み)える反面(はんめん)、とても美味(おい)しいそうだ。
    While the pastries made by that pastry chef look very tasty, apparently, they taste very good.
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熱帯林(ねったいりん)は綺麗(きれい)見(み)える反面(はんめん)、野生(やせい)動物(どうぶつ)、熱帯(ねったい)病(びょう)などのため、非常(ひじょう)に危険(きけん)だ。
While tropical forests look pretty, they are extremely dangerous because they house things like wild animals and tropical diseases.
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運動(うんどう)をよくすることは健康(けんこう)のためにいいことある反面(はんめん)人(ひと)は能力(のうりょく)以上(いじょう)の成果(せいか)を望(のぞ)むため、怪我(けが)をしてしまう傾向(けいこう)がある。
Although exercising often is good for your health, since people desire achievements beyond their abilities, they tend to injure themselves.
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一人暮(ひとりぐ)らしは楽(たの)しい反面(はんめん)自分(じぶん)料理(りょうり)したり掃除(そうじ)したりする必要(ひつよう)ある
While living alone is fun, it is also necessary for you to do all the cooking, cleaning, and the like.
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新完全マスター N3
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