字面

yào yī zhào fǎ lǜ de jīng shén shí zhì ér fēi zì miàn yì si

要依照法律的精神实质，而非字面意思。

Obey the spirit, not the letter of the law.

zì miàn shang de lǐ jiě

字面上的理解

literal understanding

jiù zì miàn yì yì lái jiǎng

就字面意义来讲

literally speaking

cóng zì miàn shang kàn

从字面上看

take (a word or expression) literally

zhè ge cí chú le zì miàn yì si hái yǒu yī céng bǐ yù yì si

这个词除了字面意思，还有一层比喻意思。

The word has a metaphorical as well as a literal meaning.