How to say "face-to-face" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 向かい合わせむかいあわせnounCovers the purely spatial sense: two people or things positioned so they face each other, as with seats across a table or facing seats on a train. It says nothing about closeness or intimacy.
- no-adjectiveA loanword used much like the English phrase, typically for face-to-face dealings in business — meeting a client or colleague in person rather than by phone or email.
- 膝詰めひざづめno-adjectiveReally describes sitting knee-to-knee, directly facing someone at very close quarters; choose it when that close, seated setup is the point, as in an earnest or intimate talk.
All three are fairly uncommon choices: use 「向かい合わせ」 for people or things simply positioned facing each other, 「フェイストゥフェイス」 for direct in-person contact as opposed to phone or email, and 「膝詰め」 for sitting knee-to-knee in a close, serious talk.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
- 向かい合わせむかいあわせface-to-face
- フェイストゥフェイスface-to-face
- 膝詰めひざづめ(sitting) knee-to-knee


