微笑(ほほえ)む

ほほえむ
godan verb
to smile
1. to smile
To form a gentle, pleasant expression.
やさしく微笑(ほほえ)む。
To smile gently.
赤(あか)ちゃんが微笑(ほほえ)んだ。
The baby smiled.
彼女(かのじょ)は写真(しゃしん)を見(み)て静(しず)かに微笑(ほほえ)んだ。
She smiled quietly as she looked at the photo.

微笑(ほほえ)む describes a gentle, warm smile—softer and more subtle than 笑(わら)う.

TRANSITIVITY:

  • Type: 自動詞(じどうし) (intransitive)
  • No transitive pair

ASPECT (ている):
微笑(ほほえ)んでいる describes being in a state of smiling, often a sustained gentle expression.

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 微笑(ほほえ)む: gentle, warm smile
  • 笑(わら)う: to laugh or smile (general term)
  • にっこりする: to smile brightly
  • にやにやする: to grin, smirk (often negative)

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • やさしく微笑(ほほえ)む: to smile gently
  • 静(しず)かに微笑(ほほえ)む: to smile quietly
  • 微笑(ほほえ)みかける: to smile at someone

RELATED WORDS:

  • 微笑(ほほえ)み: smile (noun)
  • 微笑(びしょう): smile (literary reading)
general
Added 2026.1.9 17:57 · Revised 2026.2.23 11:25
02000/02416_hohoemu