泣(な)き顔(がお)

なきがお
noun
tearful face; crying face
1. tearful face; crying face
A face that shows signs of crying or being about to cry. Can describe someone currently crying or someone whose face shows traces of recent tears.
泣(な)き顔(がお)を見(み)せないで。
Don't show me your crying face.
子供(こども)の泣(な)き顔(がお)を見(み)ると胸(むね)が痛(いた)む。
It pains my heart to see a child's tearful face.
彼女(かのじょ)は泣(な)き顔(がお)のまま部屋(へや)を出(で)て行(い)った。
She left the room with tears still on her face.

A compound of 泣(な)く (to cry) + 顔(かお) (face), where 顔(かお) voices to がお through sequential voicing (連濁(れんだく)).

USAGE:
Can describe someone actively crying or someone whose face shows traces of recent tears.

COMMON PATTERNS:

  • 泣(な)き顔(がお)を見(み)せる: to show a tearful face
  • 泣(な)き顔(がお)になる: to get a tearful expression
  • 泣(な)き顔(がお)のまま: with tears still on one's face

RELATED ～顔(がお) COMPOUNDS:

  • 笑(え)み顔(がお): smiling face
  • 怒(おこ)り顔(がお): angry face
  • 困(こま)り顔(がお): troubled face
  • 泣(な)き顔(がお): crying face

This ～顔(がお) pattern is productive and can attach to many verb stems.

general
Added 2026.3.23 19:15 · Revised 2026.3.27 12:48
18500/18935_nakigao