表
おもて · omote · JLPT N4 · noun
outside
🪙 omote = the heads side of a coin; ura is tails
Japanese names a coin's two faces omote (front) and ura (back). The same pair covers anything with a front and a hidden side: fabric, paper, buildings. Omote is the face shown to the world, as in omotenashi, hospitality offered openly.
表 — fur 毛 on top + garment 衣 below
Originally depicted an outer fur garment, with 毛 (fur) above 衣 (clothing), showing the hairy outside of a coat. From 'outer garment' it extended to mean 'outside, surface,' then 'to show, express, display,' and later 'table, chart' as something laid out on the surface.
ひょう · hyou · JLPT N3 · noun
gram
📊 表 = fur (毛) over a robe (衣): what's on the surface, laid out to see
表 was first written as a fur coat worn on the outside. Outside became surface, then a display of facts on a surface: a table or chart. As ひょう it ends names of tables, like 時刻表 (timetable).
表 — fur 毛 on top + garment 衣 below
Originally depicted an outer fur garment, with 毛 (fur) above 衣 (clothing), showing the hairy outside of a coat. From 'outer garment' it extended to mean 'outside, surface,' then 'to show, express, display,' and later 'table, chart' as something laid out on the surface.