真面目

Chinese

real; true; genuine face; look; appearance
trad. (真面目/眞面目) 真/眞 面目
simp. (真面目) 真 面目

Pronunciation


Noun

真面目

  1. (idiomatic, often derogatory) true features; true identity; true colors

Derived terms

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
真 面 目
Grade: 3
(ateji)
Grade: 3 め
Grade: 1
jukujikun kun’yomi
Alternative spelling
眞面目 (kyūjitai)

Appears to be root maji, which is cognate with まじまじ (majimaji, “staringly”), 瞬ぐ (majirogu, “to wink”) + 目 (me, “eye; visually prominent feature”), from the sense of eyes blinking nervously when having a straight face.[1][2][3] First attested in the Nise Monogatari, around 1639-1640.[4]

The kanji spelling is an example of jukujikun (熟字訓) mixed with ateji (当て字), from 真 (ma-) (real) + 面 (face) + 目 (me) (eyes). Compare English true colors.

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) まじめ [màjímé] (Heiban – [0])[5]
  • IPA(key): [ma̠ʑime̞]

Adjective

真面目(まじめ) • (majime) -na (adnominal 真面目(まじめ)な (majime na), adverbial 真面目(まじめ)に (majime ni))

  1. serious, earnest
    真面目(まじめ)にやれ!
    Majime ni yare!
    Do it seriously!
  2. honest
Inflection

Noun

真面目(まじめ) • (majime) 

  1. seriousness
  2. honesty
Antonyms
Derived terms

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
真 面 目
しん
Grade: 3
めん
Grade: 3
もく
Grade: 1
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
眞面目 (kyūjitai)

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) しんめ​んもく [shìńméꜜǹmòkù] (Nakadaka – [3])[5]
  • IPA(key): [ɕĩmːẽ̞mːo̞kɯ̟ᵝ]

Adjective

真(しん)面(めん)目(もく) • (shinmenmoku) -na (adnominal 真(しん)面(めん)目(もく)な (shinmenmoku na), adverbial 真(しん)面(めん)目(もく)に (shinmenmoku ni))

  1. actual
  2. sincere
Inflection

Noun

真(しん)面(めん)目(もく) • (shinmenmoku) 

  1. actual value
  2. sincerity

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
真 面 目
しん
Grade: 3
めん
Grade: 3
ぼく
Grade: 1
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
眞面目 (kyūjitai)

Pronunciation

  • (Tokyo) しんめ​んぼく [shìńméꜜǹbòkù] (Nakadaka – [3])[5]
  • IPA(key): [ɕĩmːẽ̞mbo̞kɯ̟ᵝ]

Adjective

真(しん)面(めん)目(ぼく) • (shinmenboku) -na (adnominal 真(しん)面(めん)目(ぼく)な (shinmenboku na), adverbial 真(しん)面(めん)目(ぼく)に (shinmenboku ni))

  1. actual
  2. sincere
Inflection

Noun

真(しん)面(めん)目(ぼく) • (shinmenboku) 

  1. actual value
  2. sincerity

References

  1. Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典(新装版) [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN
  2. “真面目”, in デジタル大辞泉 [Digital Daijisen]‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
  3. 真面目/まじめ - Gogen Yurai Jiten (in Japanese)
  4. “真面目”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000
  5. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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