Chinese word

单方面

Pronunciation

Pinyindān fāng miàn

Meaning

  • adjectiveunilateral

Example

这件事不能单方面决定。zhè jiàn shì bù néng dān fāng miàn jué dìng

This matter cannot be decided unilaterally.

Illustration for 单方面 (unilateral)

More examples

单方面的解释常常忽视其他证据。dān fāng miàn de jiě shì cháng cháng hū shì qí tā zhèng jù

A one-sided explanation often ignores other evidence.

Core concept

One party's view or action stands alone instead of being balanced against the other party.

Common phrases

  • 单方面的解释dān fāng miàn de jiě shì

    one-sided explanation

  • 单方面的偏见dān fāng miàn de piān jiàn

    one-sided bias

Similar words

片面piàn miàn: Showing only one aspect of a matter and leaving out its other aspects.
主观zhǔ guān: Guided by personal thoughts or feelings rather than by facts.
专断zhuān duàn: Deciding or commanding on one's own while ignoring other people's opinions.
偏颇piān pǒ: Lacking fairness because a view or judgment leans toward one side.

Definition in Chinese

在行动、判断或表态时只是从一个角度或一方出发，缺乏多方面平衡或对立面考虑的性质。zài xíng dòng pàn duàn huò biǎo tài shí zhǐ shì cóng yí gè jiǎo dù huò yì fāng chū fā quē fá duō fāng miàn píng héng huò duì lì miàn kǎo lǜ de xìng zhì

Word origin

单方面 (dānfāngmiàn, "unilateral") is formed from 单 (dān, "single") and 方面 (fāngmiàn, "side or aspect"), linking a single side with a decision or view that does not include competing perspectives.

Usage tips

  • The word can sound critical because it highlights an absent viewpoint, but it does not by itself prove that the decision is wrong; context supplies that judgment.

Other meanings

  • one-sidedadjective
  • biasedadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word