直面|ちょくめんchokumen[0]heiban (flat)

JLPT N1approx.Common
Definitions
  1. nounconfrontation
  2. suru verb, intransitive verbto face; to confront; to encounter
    我々われわれは一大いちだい危機ききに直面ちょくめんしている。↗
    We are facing a violent crisis.
Conjugation
Dictionary form直面する(ちょくめんする)
Polite (masu)直面します(ちょくめんします)
Negative (nai)直面しない(ちょくめんしない)
polite (masen)直面しません(ちょくめんしません)
classical zu / nu直面せず・直面せぬ(ちょくめんせず・ちょくめんせぬ)
Past (ta)直面した(ちょくめんした)
polite (mashita)直面しました(ちょくめんしました)
Past negative (nakatta)直面しなかった(ちょくめんしなかった)
polite (masen deshita)直面しませんでした(ちょくめんしませんでした)
Te form直面して(ちょくめんして)
Potential直面できる(ちょくめんできる)
Passive直面される(ちょくめんされる)
Causative直面させる(ちょくめんさせる)
Causative passive直面させられる(ちょくめんさせられる)
Conditional (ba)直面すれば(ちょくめんすれば)
tara直面したら(ちょくめんしたら)
Volitional直面しよう(ちょくめんしよう)
polite (mashou)直面しましょう(ちょくめんしましょう)
Imperative直面しろ(ちょくめんしろ)

Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.

Synonyms & antonyms
  • Synonym面と向かうめんとむかうNeutralMeeting someone in person, face-to-face, as in 「面と向かって言う」; stresses saying things directly to their face.
  • Related立ち向かうたちむかうNeutralBraver and more active: going up against something to fight it, as in 「困難に立ち向かう」. 「直面」 centers on being faced with the problem itself.
  • Related向かい合うむかいあうNeutralFace-to-face positioning, as in 「向かい合って座る」「向かい合って立つ」; about where people or things stand, not about confronting a problem.
  • Related面するめんするWrittenWritten/formal: facing a certain direction, as in 「海に面する」; mainly for buildings or land fronting onto something.
  • Related対するたいするNeutralCan mean to face, but mostly marks what something is aimed at or relates to, as in 「質問に対する答え」; leans toward relation rather than confrontation.
  • Related取り組むとりくむNeutralWorking seriously on a problem, as in 「課題に取り組む」; stresses tackling and solving it, not just being confronted with it.
  • Related向き合うむきあうNeutralFacing up to something squarely, as in 「自分と向き合う」; often introspective, about dealing with it earnestly.
  • Related対抗たいこうNeutralOpposing or competing to win, as in 「対抗馬」; stresses rivalry and contention, not facing a problem.
  • Related対戦たいせんNeutralTaking on an opponent in a match or battle, as in 「対戦相手」; mostly sports and games.
  • Related敵対てきたいWrittenWritten/formal: treating the other side as an enemy, as in 「敵対関係」; carries open hostility.
  • Related対向たいこうWrittenWritten/formal: facing or moving in opposite directions, as in 「対向車」; mostly about traffic.
  • Related臨むのぞむWrittenWritten/formal: facing or taking part in an occasion, as in 「試合に臨む」; suggests going in prepared and in earnest.
  • RelatedぶつかるCasualColloquial: running into problems or people, as in 「問題にぶつかる」; often by chance, also for collisions and clashes of opinion.
  • RelatedチャレンジNeutralLoanword: taking on a challenge or giving something a try; a positive, proactive nuance.
  • Relatedぶち当たるぶちあたるCasualColloquial and forceful: slamming into a problem, as in 「壁にぶち当たる」; often hitting an obstacle hard.
  • Related対すたいすWrittenWritten/formal literary form of 「対する」; rarely used in modern Japanese.
  • Related正対せいたいWrittenWritten/formal: facing directly front-to-front; mainly about physical positioning.
  • Related相対するあいたいするWrittenWritten/formal: standing opposite each other or being in opposition; about position and relations.
  • Antonym回避かいひNeutralAntonym: avoiding or evading something instead of facing it head-on as 「直面」 does.
  • Antonym逃げにげNeutralAntonym: running away or escaping rather than confronting the problem.

Use 「直面」 for being directly confronted with difficulties or crises, as in 「危機に直面する」. To actively fight back, say 「立ち向かう」; to face something squarely and earnestly, 「向き合う」; to get to work on it, 「取り組む」. For physical face-to-face positioning use 「向かい合う」. The opposite of facing a problem is 「回避」.

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

Japanese definitions
  1. 建物たてものなどが直接ちょくせつ何なんかに面めんしていること。
  2. 物事ものごとに直接ちょくせつ対たいすること。
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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