書面|しょめんshomen[0]heiban (flat)

1. noundocument; letter
   書面しょめんでお申し込もうしこみ下ください。↗

   Apply in writing.
2. nounwriting; contents (e.g. of a letter)

• Synonym書簡しょかんWrittenWritten/formal prose term for letters and correspondence, leaning to formal communication, as in 「書簡集」; 書面 stresses written documents and their paper form.
• Synonym書状しょじょうWrittenWritten/formal prose word for letters; 書面 leans toward written documents, the form that stands opposite to the oral.
• Synonym手紙てがみNeutralNeutral, everyday word for a letter, the most common choice; 書面 leans toward written documents, opposed to the oral.
• Synonym信書しんしょWrittenWritten/formal prose for personal correspondence; as a legal term, a letter carrying a message to a specific addressee, as in 「信書の秘密」; 書面 leans toward the document form.
• Synonym書札しょさつWrittenWritten/formal prose term for letters and documents; 書面 leans toward the written form itself.
• Synonym書信しょしんWrittenWritten/formal prose term for letters; 書面 leans toward written documents.
• Related便りたよりNeutralNeutral word for news and tidings as well as letters, as in 「風の便り」; 書面 leans toward written documents.
• RelatedレターNeutralNeutral loanword for a letter or for letters of the alphabet, as in 「ラブレター」; 書面 leans toward formal documents.
• Related手簡しゅかんWrittenWritten/formal prose term for a letter written in one's own hand; 書面 leans toward written documents.
• Related玉梓たまずさWrittenWritten/formal prose, an elegant name for a treasured letter, especially a love letter; 書面 is for formal documents.
• Related簡牘かんどくWrittenWritten/formal prose term for ancient wooden and bamboo slips, and letters by extension; 書面 is for modern documents.
• Antonym口頭こうとうNeutralNeutral word for the spoken, as in 「口頭で伝える」; it stands opposite to 「書面」 in the written-versus-spoken contrast.
• Antonym口述こうじゅつWrittenWritten/formal prose term for a verbal statement, as in 「口述試験」; it stands opposite to 「書面」 on the written-versus-oral axis.

Use 「書面」 for a document or its contents presented in writing, as in 「書面で回答する」 or 「書面審査」. For letters, 「手紙」 is the everyday choice and 「書簡」 the formal one; 「信書」 covers private correspondence. 「口頭」 and 「口述」 are the spoken counterparts.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 文書ぶんしょ。手紙てがみ。書類しょるい。書かいたもの。
2. 文書ぶんしょの内容ないよう。文面ぶんめん。