Word Meaning 建前

アメリカも本音と建前を使い分ける国だ。

America is also a country that separates its public motives from its private ones.

少数民族の雇用促進政策とはいっても、建前にすぎず、現状はマイノリティーが職に就けるチャンスなどほとんどない。

Although many pay lip service to the idea of affirmative action, in reality, very few minorities get hired.

日本の建前と本音という概念は、僕にとって、互いに嘘をついてるだけだと思う。表面的なものだけじゃない？本当は？気持ちを傷つけないためと分かってても、やっぱりあまり好きじゃない。

To me, the Japanese concept of "tatemae to honne" is just about lying to each other. Isn't it overly superficial? What about sincerity? I know it's about being considerate of others' feelings, but I still don't really like it.

建前は「嘘」と誤解されがちですが、それは「嘘」のように「人を騙そうとするもの」ではなく「相手との意見の相違を、相手に不快感を与えず伝えるための手段の一つ」だと私は考えています。討論することを敬遠しがちな日本人が、円滑に物事を進めていけるようにと根付いた文化だと思います。

The concept of "Tatemae" tends to be misunderstood as lying. But I think it's not lying in the sense of deceiving others, but rather as a way of respecting others' differences in opinion without making them uncomfortable. It's a cultural aspect stemming from how Japanese people tend to avoid arguments in favor of keeping the peace.