頬

• Reading: ほお
• Romaji: hoo
• Kanji breakdown: 頬 (kyō/hoo/hoho) — cheek
• Pronunciation: /hoː/

Meaning

Cheek; the soft side of the face below the eye.

A noun for the cheek area of the face. Also read ほほ (hoho). Common expressions: 頬が赤くなる (hoo ga akaku naru, to blush), 頬を膨らませる (hoo wo fukuramaseru, to puff out one's cheeks in a sulk), 頬杖をつく (hoozue wo tsuku, to rest one's chin on one's hand). The word has a warm, descriptive quality often used in literary writing.

Examples

1. 寒さで頬が赤くなった。 My cheeks turned red from the cold.
2. 母が子供の頬にキスをした。 The mother kissed her child on the cheek.
3. 恥ずかしくて頬が熱くなった。 I was so embarrassed that my cheeks felt hot.

Usage Guide

Context: descriptions, emotions, physical appearance

Tone: descriptive

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 頬 combines 夾 (to squeeze between) and 頁 (head/page), depicting the area of the face between the mouth and ears.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal