1.
to wash one's face
The standard collocation for washing the face, typically as part of the morning or evening routine. Uses the generic verb 洗う ('to wash'), which covers any kind of washing done with water.
朝、顔を洗う。
I wash my face in the morning.
冷たい水で顔を洗った。
I washed my face with cold water.
起きたら、まず顔を洗って歯を磨く。
When I wake up, I first wash my face and brush my teeth.
夜、化粧を落としてから洗顔フォームで顔を洗います。
At night, I remove my makeup and then wash my face with face wash.
Formed from 顔 ('face') + を + 洗う ('to wash'). The single-character noun form 洗顔 ('face-washing') exists alongside this verb phrase, especially in product names.
USAGE:
- Standard phrasing; not slang or formal.
- Refers to washing with water, with or without soap or cleanser. The product used is often specified: 石けんで顔を洗う ('wash one's face with soap').
- Can be used figuratively in expressions like 顔を洗って出直せ ('go wash your face and come back again' — i.e., pull yourself together and try again).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 朝顔を洗う: wash one's face in the morning
- 水で顔を洗う: wash one's face with water
- 石けんで顔を洗う: wash one's face with soap
- 洗顔フォームで顔を洗う: wash one's face with cleansing foam
RELATED EXPRESSIONS:
- 手を洗う: to wash one's hands
- 髪を洗う: to wash one's hair
- 体を洗う: to wash one's body
- 洗顔する: to do face-washing (noun-based equivalent, often used in cosmetics contexts)
FIGURATIVE USE:
- 顔を洗って出直せ: literally 'go wash your face and come back' — a reprimand meaning 'clean up your act' or 'try again from scratch.'