局面

• Reading: きょくめん
• Romaji: kyokumen
• Kanji breakdown: 局 (kyoku) — bureau, situation; 面 (men) — surface, face, aspect
• Pronunciation: /kjo.kɯ.meɴ/

Meaning

Phase; situation; aspect. A particular stage or state of affairs in a developing situation.

A noun originally from board games (go, shogi) meaning the position/state of the game. Now widely used figuratively for any critical stage or turning point in politics, business, negotiations, or conflicts. Often appears with adjectives like 新しい (new), 重要な (important), or 厳しい (severe).

Examples

1. 交渉は新しい局面を迎えている。 The negotiations are entering a new phase.
2. この問題は重要な局面に差しかかっている。 This issue is approaching a critical juncture.
3. 試合は終盤で予想外の局面になった。 In the final stretch, the game took an unexpected turn.

Usage Guide

Context: politics, business, strategy games

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 局 (bureau, situation, game) + 面 (surface, face, aspect). Originally the 'face' or state of a game board, extended to any situation viewed as having a current state.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal