Kanji

Jōyō kanji, Taught in grade 3

JLPT level: N3

186 of 2500 most used kanji in newspapers

Stroke count: 9

Meaning: mask, face, features, surface

Kunyomi: おも おもて つら

Onyomi: メン ベン

Radical

Radical:

Reading: めん

Meaning: face

Strokes: 9

Examples

Examples with audio

(ひょうめん)   surface

(りょうめん)   both sides

(ばめん)   scene

所(せんめんじょ)   washroom

する(ちょくめんする)   confront

接する(めんせつする)   interview [v.t.]

倒くさい(めんどうくさい)   troublesome

白い(おもしろい)   interesting

(おもて)   face

(つら)   face [derogatory]

仏頂(ぶっちょうづら)   sour look

(じづら)   typeface

Onyomi Examples

メン face, mask, face guard, (in kendo) striking the head, surface (esp. a geometrical surface), page, aspect, facet, side, chamfer, counter for broad, flat objects, levels or stages, e.g. in a video game

メンカイ meeting (face-to-face), seeing, visit, interview

ヘイメン level surface, plane

タイメン meeting face-to-face, seeing in person, facing (each other), opposing (traffic, etc.), confronting

Kunyomi Examples

おもて face, surface, mask (esp. a noh or kyogen mask)

おもかげ face, looks, vestiges, trace

水の みのも surface of the water, face of the water

おもて face, surface, mask (esp. a noh or kyogen mask)

伏せ おもてぶせ being so embarrassed as to keep one's face down

ほそおもて slender face

つら face, mug, surface, cheek meat, cheek, cheeks, surrounding area

当て つらあて spiteful remarks

あかつら red face, villain (in kabuki, jōruri, etc.)

よこつら side of face