The kanji 表 primarily signifies "surface," "face," "outside," "appearance," or "to express." It refers to the visible or external aspect of something, contrasting with what is hidden or internal. It can also imply a display, a list, or a chart.

・On-yomi (音読み): ヒョウ (hyou) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): おもて (omote)

⚫︎表面 (ひょうめん) Translation: Surface; the outside ⚫︎発表 (はっぴょう) Translation: Announcement; presentation ⚫︎表現 (ひょうげん) Translation: Expression; representation

The kanji 表 is a pictograph. It depicts the surface of a garment. The top part represents the collar, and the lower part shows the front of the garment. Over time, it evolved to represent the concept of "surface" or "outside".