整形

• Reading: せいけい
• Romaji: seikei
• Kanji breakdown: 整 (to arrange/correct) + 形 (shape/form) → reshaping, cosmetic surgery
• Pronunciation: /seː.keː/

Meaning

Plastic surgery or cosmetic procedure; altering one's appearance through medical intervention.

整形 refers to cosmetic plastic surgery and is a widely discussed topic in Japanese beauty culture. While historically somewhat taboo in Japan compared to South Korea, attitudes have shifted significantly among younger generations. Common procedures discussed include double eyelid surgery (二重整形), nose jobs, and facial contouring. The term is used both neutrally and judgmentally depending on context. On social media, openly discussing 整形 has become more normalised.

Examples

1. 韓国で整形するのが安いって聞いたけど本当？ I heard it's cheaper to get plastic surgery in Korea — is that true?
2. 整形したっていいじゃん、本人が幸せなら。 Who cares if someone gets cosmetic work done — as long as they're happy.
3. あの芸能人、整形してるかしてないかで毎回論争になるよね。 Every time that celebrity comes up, there's a debate about whether they've had work done.

Usage Guide

Context: beauty, social media, news, casual conversation

Tone: neutral to sensitive, depends on context

Do Say

• 整形する人増えてきたよね、時代だなぁ。 (More people are getting cosmetic surgery these days — it's the times.)
• 二重整形って今めっちゃ手軽にできるらしいよ。 (Apparently double eyelid surgery is really easy to get done now.)

Don't Say

• 「整形でしょ？」と本人に聞くのは絶対NG (Asking someone 'Did you get surgery?' directly is absolutely not okay)

Common Mistakes

• Confusing 整形 (cosmetic/plastic surgery) with 整形外科 (orthopedic surgery) — in medical contexts they are different

Origin & History

From 整 (to arrange/align) + 形 (shape/form). Originally a neutral medical term for orthopedic/reconstructive surgery, it narrowed in popular usage to specifically mean cosmetic surgery. The term has been used in this sense since the postwar era.

Cultural Context

Era: Postwar era medical term, modern slang usage from 2000s

Generation: All ages, increasingly normalised among younger generations

Social background: Universal topic of discussion

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. Attitudes toward 整形 vary by generation — younger people are more accepting. South Korean influence has normalised discussion.