Meaning
反面 is used to present two contrasting or opposite sides/aspects of a situation. It shows that while one thing has a certain characteristic or consequence, the opposite side has a different (usually negative) characteristic. This pattern helps balance statements by acknowledging both advantages and disadvantages of the same topic.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词普通形 | 反面 |
| い形容词 | 反面 |
| な形容词な／である | 反面 |
| 名词である | 反面 |
Examples
-
今の仕事は給料が高い反面、毎日12時間も働かなければならない。
While the current job has high pay, on the other hand, I must work 12 hours every day. -
アメリカの展示会に出展するのはかなり費用がかかる反面、アメリカでの販路を拡大する効果が期待できます。
Exhibiting at an American trade show requires considerable expenses; conversely, it allows us to expect expansion of our sales channels in America. -
このコートは防風性能が良い反面、防水性能が低い。
This coat has good wind-resistant performance, but on the flip side, its waterproof performance is poor. -
円安が進んでいて、輸出産業は活性化し、企業の設備投資も促進されています。その反面、輸入製品や輸入原料などの価格が上がり、国内の物価も上がっています。
As the yen weakens, export industries are becoming more active and companies are increasing equipment investment. On the other hand, imported products and raw materials are rising in price, causing domestic inflation to increase as well.
Summary
- 反面 connects two opposing or contrasting aspects of the same situation
- Can attach to verbs (plain form), i-adjectives, na-adjectives, and nouns with proper conjugation
- Use その反面 when connecting two separate sentences with contrasting ideas