当面

• Reading: とうめん
• Romaji: toumen
• Kanji breakdown: 当 (tou/ataru) — to face, to apply; 面 (men/omote) — surface, face, aspect
• Pronunciation: /toː.men/

Meaning

At present; for the time being; currently pressing. Used to describe the immediate situation or to signal a temporary state of affairs that may change.

Functions both as an adverb (当面は — for now) and an attributive modifier (当面の課題 — the current challenge). It signals immediacy while implying the situation is not permanent. Common in business, policy, and news language when discussing current priorities or interim measures. Slightly more formal than 今のところ (for now), and often signals an unresolved or evolving situation.

Examples

1. 当面の課題は資金調達であり、事業拡大は次の段階だ。 The immediate challenge is securing funding; business expansion is the next step.
2. 経済の先行きが不透明なため、当面は現状維持の方針をとる。 Due to the uncertain economic outlook, the policy for the time being is to maintain the status quo.
3. 当面この方法で対応し、状況を見ながら改善策を検討する。 We will handle things this way for now and consider improvements as we assess the situation.

Usage Guide

Context: business, policy, news, everyday speech

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 当 (tou) — to face, to correspond to — and 面 (men) — face, aspect. The combination expresses the sense of facing the present moment directly.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal