Chinese word

四面

Pronunciation

Pinyinsì miàn

Meaning

  • nounfour sides

Example

箱子的四面都贴着标签。xiāng zi de sì miàn dōu tiē zhe biāo qiān

Labels are attached to all four sides of the box.

Illustration for 四面 (four sides)

More examples

广场的四面都有商店。guáng chǎng de sì miàn dōu yǒu shāng diàn

There are shops on all four sides of the square.

Core concept

A center is enclosed by four outward-facing sides, so the same pattern can describe the surrounding area.

Common phrases

  • 四面墙sì miàn qiáng

    walls on all four sides

  • 四面都有sì miàn dōu yǒu

    present on all four sides

Similar words

四方sì fāng: The four directions around a central point.
四周sì zhōu: The full area surrounding something.
侧面cè miàn: One of the surfaces along an object's side.

Definition in Chinese

物体的四个表面；引申指周围的四个方向或四周。wù tǐ de sì gè biǎo miàn yǐn shēn zhǐ zhōu wéi de sì gè fāng xiàng huò sì zhōu

Word origin

四 (sì, "four") + 面 (miàn, "surface") forms a compound meaning four surfaces, which extends naturally to the four directions or the area surrounding something.

Usage tips

  • The noun can combine with 都 (dōu, "all") when all sides act together, a pattern that English usually expresses with words such as all or every.

Other meanings

  • all aroundnoun

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word