对面

• Pinyin: duì miàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 对 (duì) — opposite, facing; 面 (miàn) — face, side

Meaning

Opposite side; across from. The area or position directly facing something.

Very commonly used for giving directions and describing locations. Can refer to the opposite side of a street, building, table, or any physical space.

Examples

1. 银行就在超市的对面。 The bank is right across from the supermarket.
2. 坐在我对面的那个人是谁？ Who is the person sitting opposite me?
3. 马路对面有一家面包店。 There is a bakery across the road.

Usage Guide

Context: directions, locations, spatial descriptions

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 药店在学校对面。(The pharmacy is across from the school.)
• 对面那栋楼是图书馆。(That building across the way is the library.)

Don't Say

• 不要混淆'对面'和'前面' — 对面 means directly across or opposite, while 前面 means in front of. They describe different spatial relationships.

Origin & History

Compound of 对 (facing, opposite) and 面 (face, side). Literally 'the facing side.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal