真面

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
真	面
まとも
Grade: 3	Grade: 3
jukujikun

Alternative spellings
眞面 (kyūjitai) 正面真とも

First attested in 1803,^[1] but the derivation of the word with the Old Japanese-derived genitive particle つ (tsu) suggests that the term may be quite older.

Sources list this as a sound shift from compound 真 (ma, “real, true, straight”) +‎ つ (tsu, ancient possessive particle) +‎ 面 (mo, “face, facing”, usually read as omo).^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] Considering the phonology, with the shift from medial /t͡su/ to /to/, this likely derives from ma tsu omo, with the tsu o- contracting to just to.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) まとも [màtómó] (Heiban – [0])^[3]^[4]^[5]
IPA^(key): [ma̠to̞mo̞]

Adjective

真面(まとも) • (matomo) -na (adnominal 真面(まとも)な (matomo na), adverbial 真面(まとも)に (matomo ni))

[from at least 1803] direct, straight, frontwards
Synonym: 正面 (shōmen)
[from 1814] honest, proper, upright, correct, appropriate
Synonyms: 正直 (shōjiki, “honest”), 正しい (tadashii, “proper, upright”)

まともな食事(しょくじ)をしていない
matomo na shokuji o shite inai
not eating proper meals → eating badly

Inflection

Inflection of 真面
Stem forms
Imperfective (未然形)	真面だろ	まともだろ	matomo daro
Continuative (連用形)	真面で	まともで	matomo de
Terminal (終止形)	真面だ	まともだ	matomo da
Attributive (連体形)	真面な	まともな	matomo na
Hypothetical (仮定形)	真面なら	まともなら	matomo nara
Imperative (命令形)	真面であれ	まともであれ	matomo de are
Key constructions
Informal negative	真面ではない真面じゃない	まともではないまともじゃない	matomo de wa nai matomo ja nai
Informal past	真面だった	まともだった	matomo datta
Informal negative past	真面ではなかった真面じゃなかった	まともではなかったまともじゃなかった	matomo de wa nakatta matomo ja nakatta
Formal	真面です	まともです	matomo desu
Formal negative	真面ではありません真面じゃありません	まともではありませんまともじゃありません	matomo de wa arimasen matomo ja arimasen
Formal past	真面でした	まともでした	matomo deshita
Formal negative past	真面ではありませんでした真面じゃありませんでした	まともではありませんでしたまともじゃありませんでした	matomo de wa arimasen deshita matomo ja arimasen deshita
Conjunctive	真面で	まともで	matomo de
Conditional	真面なら（ば）	まともなら（ば）	matomo nara (ba)
Provisional	真面だったら	まともだったら	matomo dattara
Volitional	真面だろう	まともだろう	matomo darō
Adverbial	真面に	まともに	matomo ni
Degree	真面さ	まともさ	matomosa

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
真	面
ま Grade: 3	おもて Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Alternative spellings
眞面 (kyūjitai) 真表

Compound of 真 (ma, “real, true; straight”) +‎ 表 (omote, “front side, front facing”).^[1]^[3]

First attested in 1896.^[1]

Not included in some dictionaries.^[4]^[5]

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) まおもて [màóꜜmòtè] (Nakadaka – [2])^[3]
IPA^(key): [ma̠o̞mo̞te̞]

Noun

真(ま)面(おもて) • (maomote)

(uncommon) the direct front of something
Synonyms: 正面 (shōmen), 真向い (mamukai)

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
真	面
ま Grade: 3	ほ Grade: 3
kun'yomi	irregular

Alternative spelling
眞面 (kyūjitai)

Alternative spelling for 真秀 (maho, “sufficient, complete, in order”).^[1]

Definitions

For pronunciation and definitions of 真面 – see the following entry.

【真秀まほ】

[adjective] [late 900s–???] (archaic, possibly obsolete) excellent, ample, complete

[adjective] [late 900s–???] (archaic, possibly obsolete) proper, genuine

[adjective] [late 900s–???] (archaic, possibly obsolete) straightforward, honest

(This term, 真面, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Shōgaku Tosho (1988), 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
^ Matsumura, Akira, editor (1995), 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

“〈真面〉”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[1] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

[KDJ-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 ^1.4 Shōgaku Tosho (1988), 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJS-2] Matsumura, Akira, editor (1995), 大辞泉 [Daijisen] (in Japanese), First edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN

[DJR-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[SMK5-4] 4.0 ^4.1 ^4.2 Kindaichi, Kyōsuke et al., editors (1997), 新明解国語辞典 [Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten] (in Japanese), Fifth edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[NHK-5] 5.0 ^5.1 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

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