ChiramiN4 kanji · 18 strokes
顔 means face
顔
彦 handsome · 頁 head
顔Memory trick
The handsome (彦) part of your head (頁): face.
Memory trick: a picture to help you remember the kanji, not its history.
Meaning and readings
- Meanings
- face, expression
- JLPT level
- N4
- Strokes
- 18
- School grade
- Grade 2 in Japan
Japanese (kunyomi) かお kao
かお (kao) is the Japanese word for this kanji. You use it when the kanji stands alone or has kana after it. Dictionaries call this the kun reading.
From Chinese (onyomi) ガン gan
ガン (gan) came from Chinese with the character. You mostly hear it in words made of several kanji. Dictionaries call this the on reading.
Tap a reading to see when it's used. Why kanji have two kinds of reading: onyomi vs kunyomi.
Common word
笑顔 えがお · egao
smiling face, smile
Built from
- 立 stand up
- 厂 cliff
- 八 eight, split apart
- 彡 streaks
- 頁 head
- 貝 shell, money
- 目 eye
- 亠 lid
Tap a part to see the N5 and N4 kanji that use it.
立 Used in 66 kanji
See all 7 at N5 and N4厂 Used in 55 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4頁 Used in 25 kanji
See all 3 at N5 and N4目 Used in 136 kanji
See all 14 at N5 and N4Quick check
What does 顔 mean?
Right: 顔 means face.Not quite: 顔 means face.In 笑顔, which reading does 顔 use?
Right. 笑顔 is read えがお (egao): 顔 takes かお, its Japanese reading, which becomes がお here.Not quite. 笑顔 is read えがお (egao): 顔 takes かお, its Japanese reading, which becomes がお here.