Expressing simultaneous actions with "yimian"
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Level
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Similar to
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Used for
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Keywords
一面 (yìmiàn) is more formal than 一边, but is used in the same way to express two simultaneous actions.
Structure
一面 + Verb + 一面 + Verb
Examples
- 我 一面 哭 一面 跑。I cried while running away.
- 他 喜欢 一面 吃 东西 ， 一面 看 电影 。He likes to eat and watch movies at the same time.
- 我 告诉 你 多少 次 了，别 一面 躺 在 床上 一面 吃 零食！弄得 床上 都 是 碎屑 !I've told you so many times: don't eat while lying in bed. You've gotten crumbs all over the bed!
- 他们 一家人 一面 赏月 一面 吃 月饼。They enjoy the full moon and eat moon cakes together as a family.
- 你 会 一面 拍头 一面 揉 肚子 吗？Can you pat your head and rub your belly at the same time?
- 为了 赚 钱，哥哥 一面 读书 一面 做 兼职。To earn money, my big brother is studying and working part-time at the same time.
一面 cannot be shortened in the way while 一边 can:
- 我 面 工作 面 学习。
- 我 边 工作 边 学习。I work and study at the same time.
一面 can also be used to express two aspects of a situation, which are not necessarily being enacted simultaneously. This is the same as the structure "一方面……一方面……", or "on the one hand... on the other hand" in English.
- 政府 一面 要 控制 通货膨胀， 一面 也 要 保证 一定 的 经济 增长 速度。On one hand, the government needs to control inflation, but on the other hand, it needs to guarantee a certain amount of economic growth.
- 小丽 一面 想 谈 恋爱 一面 又 不 想 受伤。Xiaoli, on the one hand, wants to date, and on the other hand, doesn't want to get hurt.
See also
- Simultaneous tasks with "yibian"
- "Along with…" using "suizhe"
- Expressing various aspects with "yi fangmian"
