面 miàn
“face; side; surface”
noun, measure word, verb2021 list level 2
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
面 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entries. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 403: 面1 miàn — Level 2; official annotation 2（5） (后缀、（动、名、量）). PDF page 90
- Entry 2767: 面2 miàn — Level 5; official annotation 5 (名). PDF page 149
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 面
面 (miàn) is a bound noun/suffix meaning “side, surface” in location words such as 上面, 下面, 里面, 外面, 前面, 后面 and 对面; it is not used alone with this meaning. It is also a measure word for flat objects such as mirrors, flags and drums: 一面镜子, 一面旗. As a full noun it means “noodles” or “flour” (HSK5), as in 一碗面; context makes the meaning clear.
例句Example sentences
- 我的手机在桌子上面。wǒ de shǒu jī zài zhuō zi shàng miàn.My phone is on the table.
- 学校对面有一家小书店。xué jiào duì miàn yǒu yì jiā xiǎo shū diàn.There is a small bookstore opposite the school.
- 墙上挂着一面镜子。qiáng shàng guà zhe yí miàn jìng zi.A mirror hangs on the wall.
易混词Easily confused
面vs脸
脸 is the everyday word for a person’s face; 面 means “face” mainly in formal or compound expressions such as 见面, 面对 and 面子. Say 我的脸很脏, not 我的面很脏.
义项All meanings
- miàn: face; side; surface; aspect; top; classifier for objects with flat surfaces such as drums, mirrors, flags etc
- miàn: variant of 面
- miàn: flour; noodles; (of food) soft (not crunchy); (slang) (of a person) ineffectual; spineless