頬(ほお)

ほお

noun

cheek

1. cheek

The fleshy part of the face below the eyes.

涙(なみだ)が頬(ほお)を伝(つた)った。

Tears ran down my cheeks.

頬(ほお)を赤(あか)らめた。

My cheeks turned red.

Blushing from embarrassment or emotion

赤(あか)ちゃんの頬(ほお)はふっくらしている。

The baby's cheeks are plump.

子(こ)どもが頬(ほお)を膨(ふく)らませて怒(おこ)っている。

The child is puffing out their cheeks in anger.

頬(ほお)を膨(ふく)らませる = to puff out one's cheeks (sulking/pouting)

冷(つめ)たい風(かぜ)が頬(ほお)に当(あ)たって、思(おも)わず目(め)を閉(と)じた。

The cold wind hit my cheeks and I instinctively closed my eyes.

Can be read as either ほお or ほほ, with ほお being more common in modern usage.

Alternative reading

頬(ほお) - more common
頬(ほほ) - also used

Common collocations

頬(ほお)を染(そ)める (to blush)
頬(ほお)を赤(あか)らめる (to turn red in the face)
頬(ほお)を膨(ふく)らませる (to puff out one's cheeks - sulking)
頬骨(ほおぼね) (cheekbone)
頬(ほお)紅(べに) (blush, rouge)

Common expressions

頬(ほお)が落(お)ちる (so delicious one's cheeks might fall off)
頬(ほお)をつねる (to pinch one's cheek - to check if dreaming)

Related Words

Related: 頬杖(ほおづえ)をつく (to rest one's chin on one's hand)

core

Added 2026.1.12 21:24 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29

03500/03717_hoo