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How to say 'Face' in Japanese | 顔

Wondering how to say 'Face' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Face is 'Kao', written as 顔 in Japanese.'Face' in hiragana is かお.

    word

    Meaning

    Face

    Reading

    かお

    kao

    Kanji

    Face

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '顔 (かお)' means 'face'. It refers to the front part of a person's head, from the forehead to the chin, including the eyes, nose, and mouth. This word is commonly used in everyday conversation and can also be used metaphorically to represent one's expression, appearance, or reputation. For example: She has a beautiful face「彼女は顔がきれいです」(かのじょはかおがきれいです). I can't show my face there「私はそこに顔を出せない」(わたしはそこにかおをだせない). The word '顔' can also be used in idiomatic expressions, such as '顔を出す (かおをだす)', which means 'to show up' or 'to make an appearance'.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N3

    Kanji Grade

    2

    Frequency

    154

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Face

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 6 Words contain the Kanji 顔 as well.

  • word

    笑顔

    Meaning

    Smile

  • word

    朝顔

    Meaning

    Morning glory

  • word

    顔色

    Meaning

    Mood, Complexion

  • word

    顔付き

    Meaning

    Expression

  • word

    横顔

    Meaning

    Profile

  • word

    泣き顔

    Meaning

    Tearful face

Learn the Word

Let's make sure you fully understand this word.

What does 'Kao' (顔) mean?

'Kao' means 'Face' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.