Korean word

표면

Pronunciation

Romanizationpyomyeon

Meaning

  • nounsurface

Example

표면에 흠집이 생겼어요.pyo myeo ne heum ji bi saeng gyeo sseo yo

A scratch appeared on the surface.

Illustration for 표면 (surface)

More examples

컵의 표면이 미끄러워서 손에서 떨어질 뻔했어요.keo bui pyo myeo ni mi kkeu reo wo seo so ne seo tteo reo jil ppeon hae sseo yo

The surface of the cup was slippery, so it almost slipped out of my hand.

Core concept

The visible or touchable outer face of a thing, including the layer that gives it its outward appearance.

Common phrases

  • 표면에 흠집pyo myeo ne heum jip

    a scratch on the surface

  • 표면을 닦다pyo myeo neul tak tta

    wipe the surface

  • 표면이 미끄럽다pyo myeo ni mi kkeu reop tta

    a slippery surface

Similar words

겉keot: The look that a person or thing presents from the outside is its appearance.
겉면keonmyeon: The material face on the outside of an object is its outer surface.
바깥pakkat: The space beyond a building or inner area is the outside.

Definition in Korean

물체의 바깥쪽 부분으로, 외부와 닿거나 눈에 보이는 면을 가리키는 명사mul che ui pa kkat jjok pu bu neu ro oe bu wa ta keo na nu ne po i neun myeo neul ka ri ki neun myeong sa

Word origin

The word is a Sino-Korean compound whose elements mean an outward face and a face or side, forming the idea of an object's outside face.

Usage tips

  • For TOPIK reading, recognize this word in descriptions of materials, skin, water, and screens, where it identifies the outside area being discussed.

Other meanings

  • outward appearancenoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 표면적pyomyeonjeoksuperficialadjective

Word lists with this word