方法 and 方面

[stevesayskanpai]

Whats the difference between 方法　and 方面？　Is the latter more directional, and the former more general- way/means?

[QuackingShoe]

方法 is a method, 方面 is direction/area

[stevesayskanpai]

Ok then, whats 方向？

[jazzbeans]

方法 ほうほう method; process; manner; way; means; technique

方面 ほうめん direction; district; field (e.g. of study)

方向 ほうこう 1: direction; orientation; bearing; way;
2: course (e.g. of action)

Please use jisho.org or Rikai-chan. =)

[mieth]

jazz lets be a little fair. This is one of my pet peeves with "Dictionaries" because they are really dictionaries as much as listing what some person has designated to be an equivalent linking of words from one language to another. If you use rikai chan it does way direction blah blah blah. If you look up 方向　as well you get a very similar 成果(result). Now for those of you who look up seika and see result would probably be a little surprised when I tell you that I think it sounds strange to use 成果 when you should be using 結果 kekka also according to rikai chan meaning result. There is however a very large difference between the two. this is why english -japanese dictionaries dont work very well. So I think it is a little unfair to say use rikai chan please when someone wants to know the difference between two words. So I will write the definition that I have in my monolingual dictionary.

方面＝方向を限定された漠然とした地域。そのあたり。
I am no expert but I would translate this as the vague direction and around some area. If you look at example sentences using houmen you will probably see that they usually use a specific location's name. I am going to leave definition number two out.

where as 方向 is more in regards as to just the direction of something, like a tendency or physically moving. I think it might be strange to say something like "oh no I'm driving in the wrong 方面！！”

[jazzbeans]

Fair play. But I find it so helpful.

Then I use jisho (ALL THE TIME) because you can put the word into a search and find sentence examples. It's practical usage. I put everything into their sentence search =D So, I really recommend this.

Examples (using the OPs words):

http://jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E6%96%B9%E5%90%91&eng=

http://jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E6%96%B9%E6%B3%95&eng=

http://jisho.org/sentences?jap=%E6%96%B9%E9%9D%A2&eng=

[Psy]

Let's clarify a bit. Definitions courtesy goo.jp, romanizations/translations mine:

ほうめん　はう― 3 【方面】
(1)方向を限定された漠然とした地域。そのあたり。
「関西―に旅行する」
(2)ある分野・領域。
「各―の意見を聞く」
「将来どの―に進むか考える」

1) houkou wo gentei sareta bakuzen toshita chiiki. sono atari.
"kansai houmen ni ryokou suru"

2) aru bun'ya, ryouiki.
"kaku houmen no iken wo kiku"
"shourai dono houmen ni susumu ka kangaeru"

1) a vague area limited to a particular direction. thereabouts.
"to travel towards the kansai area."

2) a given sphere; territory.
"to ask the opinion of each region."
"to consider to which way [one] will progress in the future."

ほうこう　はうかう 0 【方向】

(1)むき。方角。
「―を誤る」
(2)進むべき道。進路。方針。めあて。
「研究の―が決まる」
「和解の―で話がまとまる」

1) muki. hougaku.
"houkou wo ayamaru"
2) susumu beki michi. shinro. houshin. meate.
"kenkyuu no houkou ga kimaru"
"wakai no houkou de hanashi ga matomaru"

1) direction; way; point on a compass
"to lose one's way [lit. to mistake direction]"

2) the appropriate course. course of one's life. objective.
"the direction of research be decided"
"to arrive at a compromise"

It helps to know the kanji:
面 = a face (general area).
向 = a direction (specific point).

Hope that helps. As always, corrections welcome!

[robafett]

Whats the difference between 方法　and 方面？　Is the latter more directional, and the former more general- way/means?

Heya. Quick question for the Jpod101 team that I'm using this post as an example for: I've downloaded the Japanese IME and can now see much of the kana written about everywhere. However, i'm still getting the odd = = = type boxes appear for certain things instead of characters.
In the above post, it's reading to me as "What's the difference between == and =="

I'm wondering what I'm missing. Because this effects my Jpod learning stuff too.

Odder still is when I hit the quote button to reply to this, the characters show up perfectly in the typing box now...
Am I missing kanji somehow? Erm...