1.
facial expression; look on one's face; countenance
The overall appearance or expression of someone's face, often reflecting their mood, character, or emotional state.
怖い顔つきをしている。
He has a scary look on his face.
彼女は真剣な顔つきで話し始めた。
She began to speak with a serious expression.
子供たちの顔つきを見れば、楽しんでいるかどうかすぐ分かる。
You can tell right away whether the children are having fun by the looks on their faces.
A compound of 顔 (face) and つき (appearance, way of being attached). The suffix つき indicates the way something looks or the manner in which it appears.
USAGE:
Often used with adjectives or descriptive phrases to characterize how someone's face looks: 優しい顔つき (a kind-looking face), 険しい顔つき (a stern expression). Commonly appears with the pattern 〜顔つきをしている (to have a ... expression).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 険しい顔つき — stern/grim expression
- 優しい顔つき — gentle/kind expression
- 真剣な顔つき — serious expression
- 不安な顔つき — anxious expression
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 表情 — facial expression; more about momentary emotional expression
- 顔立ち — facial features; refers to the physical structure of the face rather than expression
- 面持ち — expression, look; literary/formal synonym