Skip to content

反面・一方で・に対して: the difference

Meaning

While, On the other hand, Although, However, On the flip side

Past papers

Tested 2 times in past papers

Example

都内とないに引ひっ越こして色々いろいろと便利べんりになった反面はんめん、家賃やちんが前まえ住すんでいた所ところの倍ばいになった。

While moving to Tokyo has made many things more convenient, the rent has doubled from where I used to live.

Meaning

On the other hand, At the same time, While

Past papers

Tested 5 times in past papers

Example

この靴くつは、温あたたかい一方いっぽうで、重おもいです。

These shoes are warm but on the other hand they are heavy.

Meaning

In contrast to, While, In regard to, Whereas

Past papers

Tested 6 times in past papers

Example

彼かれはみんなに対たいして優やさしい人ひとなんです。

He is kind towards everyone.

How to tell them apart

「反面」 is only for two sides of the same thing; you can't compare two different people: not 「×兄は優しい反面、弟は意地悪だ」.

「一方で」 is wider: it can also mean one person doing two things at once, or two parties each doing their own thing.

「に対して」 contrasts two different things: 「都市部が過密なのに対して、地方は過疎化が進む」 (Cities are overcrowded, while rural areas are losing people).

All about 反面 ›All about 一方で ›All about に対して ›