面と向かう|めんとむかうmentomukau
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
Definitions
- expression, godan verbto meet face-to-face
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 面と向かう（めんとむかう） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 面と向かいます（めんとむかいます） |
| Negative (nai) | 面と向かわない（めんとむかわない） |
| polite (masen) | 面と向かいません（めんとむかいません） |
| classical zu / nu | 面と向かわず・面と向かわぬ（めんとむかわず・めんとむかわぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 面と向かった（めんとむかった） |
| polite (mashita) | 面と向かいました（めんとむかいました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 面と向かわなかった（めんとむかわなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 面と向かいませんでした（めんとむかいませんでした） |
| Te form | 面と向かって（めんとむかって） |
| Potential | 面と向かえる（めんとむかえる） |
| Passive | 面と向かわれる（めんとむかわれる） |
| Causative | 面と向かわせる（めんとむかわせる） |
| Causative passive | 面と向かわせられる・面と向かわされる（めんとむかわせられる・めんとむかわされる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 面と向かえば（めんとむかえば） |
| tara | 面と向かったら（めんとむかったら） |
| Volitional | 面と向かおう（めんとむかおう） |
| polite (mashou) | 面と向かいましょう（めんとむかいましょう） |
| Imperative | 面と向かえ（めんとむかえ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym直面ちょくめんNeutralFacing something head-on, most often difficulties or problems, as in 「危機に直面する」; the stress is on confronting a situation rather than speaking to someone in person.
- Synonym向かい合うむかいあうNeutralDescribes two parties sitting or standing facing each other; the focus is on spatial position rather than on addressing someone directly.
- Related対するたいするNeutralTakes something as its target or the object it addresses, usually in the pattern 「〜に対して」; unlike the headword, it need not involve meeting in person.
- Related臨むのぞむWrittenWritten/formal. Typically means facing an occasion or situation, as in 「試合に臨む」, or overlooking a scene; the focus is on what lies ahead, not a face-to-face meeting.
- Related面するめんするWrittenWritten/formal. Mainly for buildings or places facing something, as in 「海に面する」; it describes orientation, not people meeting.
- Related対すたいすWrittenWritten/formal: a godan-verb variant of 「対する」, more stately and rarely used in modern Japanese.
- Related正対せいたいWrittenWritten/formal and rare: facing something squarely, straight on; it stresses being positioned directly front-to-front with the object.
- Antonym背を向けるせをむけるNeutralTo turn one's back and avoid or ignore someone — the opposite of 「面と向かう」, which is about facing a person directly.
Use 「面と向かう」 chiefly as 「面と向かって言う」, to say something straight to a person's face. For physically facing each other pick 「向かい合う」, for confronting difficulties 「直面」, and for facing a direction 「面する」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
