What does 真面目 Mean?
真面目 is a fairly broad word in Japanese for someone who is responsible, sincere, and so on. It can also refer to someone being serious about something. This is a common word and a must-have for your Japanese vocabulary repertoire. So, let’s take a look at how to use it.
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What does 真面目 Mean?
This is one of those words in Japanese that are easy to conceptualize but are hard to translate. Meaning, once you learn the word and start using it then it is easy to understand. However, if someone asks you how to say it in English that is a different story. Below are some ways you may translate it:
- serious
- earnest
- solemn
- square
- straightforward
- honest
- responsible
- sincere
- hard-working
In a sentence, you can translate 真面目 from Japanese to English in some situations to any of these words. However, looking at each word individually is not sufficient enough to fully capture the meaning of 真面目. The word is broader than that.
https://japaneseuniverse.com/2024/02/18/pac-man-in-japaneseconcepts-behind-development-to-global-icon/What do People mean when they say 真面目?
All of the last words I provided are generally positive words in English. The word 真面目 is also generally a positive word. People will describe people as 真面目 to show them respect. But, it can also be used in a more sarcastic way to describe someone who is overly stiff or may be hard to have fun with since they can’t loosen up. They have to follow all of the rules or social norms.
How to use 真面目 in a Sentence
Here are some examples of how you can use 真面目 to describe someone:
◆もっと真面目になりたい – I want to become more sincere/responsible/serious
◆真面目な人はルールを守る – Sincere/responsible/serious people follow the rule
You can also say 真面目 to describe not only someone’s personality but their appearance or their actions.
◆太郎は毎日真面目に仕事をしている – Taro is working hard/sincerely every day
◆彼女は真面目な顔をしている – She has a serious face
真面目 also means someone is serious or not joking about something.
◆真面目に言っています – I am not joking (literally: I am saying (this) sincerely)
◆真面目です – I am serious
