1.
cheek
The fleshy part of the face below the eyes.
涙が頬を伝った。
Tears ran down my cheeks.
頬を赤らめた。
My cheeks turned red.
Blushing from embarrassment or emotion
赤ちゃんの頬はふっくらしている。
The baby's cheeks are plump.
子どもが頬を膨らませて怒っている。
The child is puffing out their cheeks in anger.
頬を膨らませる = to puff out one's cheeks (sulking/pouting)
冷たい風が頬に当たって、思わず目を閉じた。
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 - more common
- 頬 - also used
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 頬を染める (to blush)
- 頬を赤らめる (to turn red in the face)
- 頬を膨らませる (to puff out one's cheeks - sulking)
- 頬骨 (cheekbone)
- 頬紅 (blush, rouge)
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 頬が落ちる (so delicious one's cheeks might fall off)
- 頬を{つねる} (to pinch one's cheek - to check if dreaming)