Mnemonic
A sheep slips into an elegant garment before stepping outside. On the surface, it looks like a refined gentleman — nobody suspects the woolly beast hiding beneath. The surface is all about what you choose to display.
Additional thoughts
Picture the garment draped over the sheep as its outermost layer — the surface the world sees. Sheep on top, garment wrapped around it, forming the idea of an exterior face presented to others.Quick recall
A sheep in a garment — what you see on the surface hides the wool underneath.Details
The keyword for 表 is surface. This kanji refers to the outer side, front, or exterior of something, as opposed to its hidden or inner aspect. It conveys the idea of what is visible or presented outwardly, such as the surface of an object or the public face one shows to the world. By extension, it also carries the meaning of expressing or displaying something, as well as representing information in the form of a chart or table.
- On'yomi
- ひょう
- Kun'yomi
- おもて、-おもて、あらわ.す、あらわ.れる、あら.わす