～一方で
On the other hand, another contrasting fact is true
You’ll be able to place two different or opposing situations side by side in a balanced comparison.
美咲が夕食を作る一方で、健太は明かりの準備をしています。
misaki ga yuushoku o tsukuru ippou de, kenta wa akari no junbi o shite imasu.
What do you think this sentence means?
While Misaki is cooking dinner, on the other hand, Kenta is preparing the lanterns.
Contrast two parallel trends or facts
～一方で contrasts two different facets, trends, or simultaneous developments side by side ("on the one hand..., while on the other hand...").
姉は話すのが好きな一方で、妹は静かです。
ane wa hanasu no ga suki na ippou de, imouto wa shizuka desu.
My older sister loves to talk, while my younger sister is quiet.
仕事が忙しい一方で、趣味の時間も大切にしている。
shigoto ga isogashii ippou de, shumi no jikan mo taisetsu ni shite iru.
Work is busy, but at the same time I value my hobby time.
Attach 一方で to plain forms
Attach 一方で to plain forms of verbs, い-adjectives, な-adjectives (using な or である), or nouns (using である or の). It can also start a sentence as 一方、 (On the other hand,...).
彼は本業に励む一方で、週末はボランティア活動をしている。
kare wa hongyou ni hagemu ippou de, shuumatsu wa borantia katsudou o shite iru.
While working diligently at his main job, on the other hand, he does volunteer work on weekends.
～反面 vs ～一方で
～反面 shows two opposite sides of the same thing. ～一方で can also set two different people, places, or trends side by side.
～反面, on the flip side
都会は便利な反面、空気が悪い。
tokai wa benri na hanmen, kuuki ga warui.
The city is convenient, but on the flip side, the air is bad.
Two sides of one thing: the city.
～一方で, while (on the other hand)
都会は便利な一方で、田舎は自然が多い。
tokai wa benri na ippou de, inaka wa shizen ga ooi.
The city is convenient, while the countryside has lots of nature.
Two different places compared side by side.
若い人の間では紙の新聞を読む人が少ない一方で、お年寄りの間ではまだ人気がある。
wakai hito no aida de wa kami no shinbun o yomu hito ga sukunai ippou de, otoshiyori no aida de wa mada ninki ga aru.
Few young people read paper newspapers, while among older people they’re still popular.
この店は昼は会社員で混んでいる一方で、夜はほとんどお客がいない。
kono mise wa hiru wa kaishain de konde iru ippou de, yoru wa hotondo okyaku ga inai.
This restaurant is crowded with office workers at lunchtime, while at night there are hardly any customers.
東京では桜がもう散った一方で、北海道ではこれから咲き始める。
toukyou de wa sakura ga mou chitta ippou de, hokkaidou de wa kore kara sakihajimeru.
In Tokyo the cherry blossoms have already fallen, while in Hokkaido they’re only about to start blooming.
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