反面|はんめん

Presents two contrasting aspects of the same person or thing: "while X, on the other hand Y." One side is often positive and the other negative, or vice versa.

A somewhat formal expression common in writing, explanations and considered speech. It is typically used to weigh the merits and drawbacks of something, or to describe a person's contrasting sides. Unlike 一方で, which can also compare two different subjects, 反面 focuses on two sides of one and the same subject.

• 一方でN3「一方で」 can be swapped with 「反面」 when contrasting two opposite sides of the same thing, but it can also contrast two different subjects or simply add another point in parallel; 「反面」 is limited to opposing qualities within one subject.
• にひきかえN1「にひきかえ」 contrasts two different things or the same thing at different times, often with praise or criticism, and is formal; the predicate must first take 「の」 before it. 「反面」 only describes two sides coexisting in the same subject, so the two are generally not interchangeable.
• 逆にN2「逆に」 is a conjunction or adverb that contrasts two opposite situations, not limited to the same subject, and can also mean an unexpected 'on the contrary'; it cannot directly follow predicates, and with nouns it takes the forms 「とは逆に」 or 「の逆に」.
• もののN2「ものの」 is a concessive: it acknowledges the first clause but the second falls short of expectations, often with regret, and is formal. 「反面」 merely objectively presents two opposing sides of the same subject, with no sense of surprise; the two are generally not interchangeable.
• に比べてN3「に比べて」 compares degree or qualities using the first item as the baseline, attaching to nouns or clauses with 「の」; 「反面」 refers to two opposing sides of one subject. When contrasting the two sides of the same subject they can sometimes be swapped, but the former emphasizes comparison and the latter emphasizes opposition.
• にもかかわらずN2「にもかかわらず」 means 'despite... yet...', where the second clause goes against the expectation created by the first, and is formal. 「反面」 simply juxtaposes two opposing sides of the same subject with no sense of surprise, so the two are generally not interchangeable.

反面 shows two opposing sides of the same subject, whereas 一方で, にひきかえ and に比べて can contrast or compare two different subjects, and 逆に is an adverb meaning 'conversely.' ものの and にもかかわらず express concession, meaning 'although' or 'despite,' with an outcome that goes against expectation.