〜反面: 'On the Other Hand' (Meaning + Examples)
Two sides of the same thing
〜反面 links a clause to another that describes an opposing quality or outcome of the same subject — it's for "X is true, but at the same time/on the other hand, Y is also true," where X and Y feel like a trade-off.
やったんは足が速い反面、勉強はあまり得意ではない。
やったんは あしが はやい はんめん、べんきょうは あまり とくいでは ない。
Yattan is fast on his feet, but on the other hand, he's not great at studying.
Same subject (やったん), two contrasting traits.
昨年は輸出が好調の反面、輸入は落ち着いていたので貿易収支は改善した。
さくねんは ゆしゅつが こうちょうの はんめん、ゆにゅうは おちついて いたので ぼうえきしゅうしは かいぜんした。
Last year exports were strong, while imports stayed subdued, so the trade balance improved.
この商品は値段が安い反面、品質はあまりよくない。
この しょうひんは ねだんが やすい はんめん、ひんしつは あまり よくない。
This product is cheap, but on the other hand, the quality isn't great.
Attaching after a verb or adjective
〜反面 attaches to the plain/dictionary form of verbs and い-adjectives, and to な-adjectives/nouns with な or である before it.
| Attaches to | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (plain form) | 動詞（辞書形） + 反面 | 稼げる反面、忙しい |
| い-adjective (plain) | い形容詞 + 反面 | 安い反面、質が悪い |
| な-adjective | な形容詞 + な反面 | 便利な反面、高い |
| Noun | 名詞 + である反面 | 学生である反面、社会人でもある |
このアパートは駅から近くて便利な反面、家賃が高い。
この アパートは えきから ちかくて べんりな はんめん、やちんが たかい。
This apartment is convenient because it's close to the station, but on the other hand, the rent is high.
Don't confuse with が or 一方で
が is a general-purpose contrast marker that can link any two unrelated ideas ("it's sunny, but I have a headache"). 〜一方で is closer to 反面 in meaning but slightly more neutral and can also mean "meanwhile" for two simultaneous but separate situations. 〜反面 is stricter: it insists the two clauses are opposite facets of one and the same subject, which gives it a sharper "trade-off" feel than either が or 一方で.
The short version
- 〜反面 = "on the other hand" / "while" — contrasts two opposing aspects of the same subject.
- Attaches to: plain verb / plain い-adj + 反面; な-adj + な反面; noun + である反面.
- Nuance/register: neutral-to-written; implies a trade-off within one subject.
- Don't confuse with: が (any general contrast) or 一方で (can link separate, simultaneous situations).
Practice it
Choose 反面 where the sentence contrasts two sides of the same subject.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
昨年は輸出が好調の＿＿＿、輸入が落ち着いていたので貿易収支は改善した。
Where 〜反面 fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜のに · N4 — This 〜のに attaches to a dictionary-form verb to mean 'for doing X' or 'in order to X', setting up a comment about time, cost, or usefulness — 行くのに1週間かかった (it took a week to go). Not the same のに as 'even though'.
More N2 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 果たして — 果たして is an adverb with two uses: with a plain statement it means 'sure enough, as expected'; paired with か/かどうか it means 'I wonder if it will really...' — questioning whether something will truly happen.
- いわゆる — いわゆる means 'so-called' or 'what you might call' — it flags that the noun right after it is a commonly known label, sometimes with a hint of distance from the speaker's own judgment. It never conjugates and always sits directly before a noun (phrase).
- いよいよ — いよいよ is an adverb meaning 'at last / finally' when an anticipated moment arrives, or 'more and more / increasingly' when something intensifies. Comes right before the verb or clause it modifies and never conjugates.
- 〜かのよう — 〜かのよう means 'as if' or 'as though' — describing something that looks, sounds, or behaves like something it isn't, often paired with まるで for emphasis. Attaches after the plain form of a verb or adjective; literary/formal in tone.
- 〜からすると — 〜からすると means 'judging from / based on' — you draw a conclusion or impression from a stated piece of evidence or standpoint. Attaches after a noun; the main clause is usually a guess (〜だろう/〜ようだ), not a stated fact.
- 〜ものか — 〜ものか turns a plain verb or adjective into a defiant rhetorical question meaning 'as if I would!' or 'no way!' — a strong, emotional refusal, not a real question.