一面 … ,一面 … (two things at once)
Walk and talk — the written pair
- one side一面 … ,one side一面 … = doing two things at the same time (= one side一边…one side一边…).
- one side一面to walk走,one side一面to make a telephone call打电话 = "walking while making a phone call."
- More formal / written than one side一边…one side一边….
one side一面 + V1,one side一面 + V2
- one side一面…one side一面… runs two actions in parallel.
he他while一面walk走,and一面phone打电话。
- one side一面to walk走,one side一面to make a telephone call打电话 = "walking and phoning at once."
Explore
Correct or broken?
一面 A,一面 B runs two actions in parallel — both slots take 一面, and both must be doable.
Practice
Walking and phoning at once: 他一面走,____ 打电话。
一面 + V1,一面 + V2 = at the same time: 一面走,一面打电话.
Practice
一面…一面… runs two actions in parallel.
Yes — both happen at the same time.
Recap
Key idea
- one side一面 + V1,one side一面 + V2 — doing two things at once
- one side一面to walk走,one side一面to make a telephone call打电话
- = one side一边…one side一边…, but a touch more formal
Read the full reference: HSK 5 grammar — Sentence patterns.
Practice
一面…一面… is closest to…
Same meaning; 一面…一面… is a bit more formal.