面对面

• Pinyin: miàn duì miàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 面 = face/surface; 对 = to face/toward. Faces turned toward each other.

Meaning

Face to face; in person. Directly facing each other without intermediary.

Emphasizes direct, personal interaction as opposed to phone, text, or video. Often used for meetings, negotiations, or confrontations. Related: 当面 (to one's face), 见面 (to meet). In the digital age, 面对面交流 (face-to-face communication) is increasingly valued.

Examples

1. 有些话电话里说不清楚，还是面对面谈比较好。 Some things are hard to explain over the phone — it's better to talk face to face.
2. 经过三轮面对面的谈判，双方终于达成了协议。 After three rounds of face-to-face negotiations, both parties finally reached an agreement.
3. 他约我出来，说有重要的事情要面对面跟我说。 He asked me to come out, saying he had something important to tell me face to face.

Usage Guide

Context: business, relationships, communication

Tone: direct

Do Say

• 我们面对面聊聊。(Let's have a face-to-face chat.)
• 这件事需要面对面解决。(This matter needs to be resolved face to face.)

Don't Say

• 把面对面用于远程沟通 (面对面 specifically means in-person, not video calls)

Origin & History

Reduplication of 面 (face) with 对 (toward/facing). Facing each other face to face.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal