～反面 — On the Flip Side
Means 'while / on the other hand,' presenting two contrasting sides of the same thing or person. It highlights that alongside one quality or fact, there is an opposite or contrasting one. Often used to give a balanced, two-sided evaluation.
Structure
[Plain form] + 反面 / [な-adj な／である] + 反面 / [Noun である] + 反面
Examples
この仕事は給料がいい反面、とても忙しい。
Kono shigoto wa kyuuryou ga ii hanmen, totemo isogashii.
This job pays well, but on the other hand it's very busy.
反面 contrasts good pay with the downside of being busy
彼は優しい反面、厳しいところもある。
Kare wa yasashii hanmen, kibishii tokoro mo aru.
He is kind, but on the flip side he also has a strict side.
反面 sets kindness against strictness in the same person
都会は便利な反面、生活費が高い。
Tokai wa benri na hanmen, seikatsuhi ga takai.
The city is convenient, but on the other hand the cost of living is high.
な-adjective takes な before 反面, contrasting convenience with expense
• The two contrasting facts usually describe the SAME subject. • な-adjectives take な; nouns take である before 反面. • Register: neutral to slightly formal; common in essays.
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～反面 is tested against.
vs ～一方(で)
一方で can contrast two different subjects or simply add a parallel point; 反面 specifically contrasts two opposite aspects of the same thing.
vs ～のに
のに expresses surprise/complaint about an unexpected contrast; 反面 is a neutral 'two-sided' statement without emotion.
More connectives
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