Comparing "jian" and "jianmian"
Both 见 (jiàn) and 见面 (jiànmiàn) to mean “to see someone” or "to meet up".
Sometimes they can be used interchangeably.
| 见 (jiàn) | 见面 (jiànmiàn) | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | to see someone | to meet up |
| Part of Speech | verb | verb |
| Formality | formal and informal | formal and informal |
The key difference between these words is 见 emphasizes to see someone, whereas 见面 emphasizes a to meet up (a detailed plan with clear steps to do something).
Contents
Similarities
Example Sentences
In the following sentences, 见 (jiàn) AND 见面 (jiànmiàn) both can be used interchangeably:
Differences
见 (jiàn) and 见面 (jiànmiàn) also have specific individual uses.
见 (jiàn) is followed by an object, i.e., person/people being seen.
见面 （jiànmiàn）cannot be followed an object and usually ends a sentence.
Common Phrases
These (set) phrases work ONLY with 见（jiàn）：
- 一会儿～
- 晚上～
- 明天～
- 明年～
- 下次～
Example Sentences
In the following sentences, ONLY “见”（jiàn）can be used:
In the following sentences, ONLY “见面”（jiànmiàn）can be used:
Advanced Differences
见面 （jiànmiàn）is a special type of Chinese verb called a “separable verb”, meaning 见 and 面 can be “separated” and other “stuff” can be put in the middle. For a detailed understanding of this type of verb and its usage click on this link to our grammar wiki page.
