地表(ちひょう)

地表(ちひょう) refers to the outermost surface of the earth. Commonly used in scientific, geographical, and environmental contexts.

Forms

地(ち) (earth, ground) + 表(ひょう) (surface). Compare with 海面(かいめん) (海(うみ) + 面(めん) = sea surface).

Common collocations

• 地表(ちひょう)温度(おんど): ground surface temperature
• 地表(ちひょう)に近(ちか)い: near the surface
• 地表(ちひょう)付近(ふきん): vicinity of the surface
• 地表(ちひょう)を覆(おお)う: to cover the surface
• 地表(ちひょう)に到達(とうたつ)する: to reach the surface

Related words

• 地下(ちか): underground (below the surface)
• 地中(ちちゅう): in the ground (embedded)
• 地面(じめん): the ground (everyday word for ground surface)
• 海面(かいめん): sea surface

地表(ちひょう) is more scientific/formal than 地面(じめん), which is the everyday word for the ground you walk on.