塩顔(しおがお)

しおがお
noun
delicate, understated facial features
informalappearanceperson
1. delicate, understated facial features; soft, gentle look
A modern slang term for a face with soft, fine, low-contrast features — pale skin, slim eyes, and a generally subdued appearance. Coined as a contrast to 醤油顔(しょうゆがお) (classic Japanese features) and ソース顔(そーすがお) (deep, sharp features).
彼(かれ)は塩顔(しおがお)のイケメンだ。
He's a good-looking guy with soft, delicate features.
最近(さいきん)は塩顔(しおがお)男子(だんし)が人気(にんき)だ。
Guys with delicate features are popular these days.
彼女(かのじょ)は塩顔(しおがお)で涼(すず)しげな雰囲気(ふんいき)が魅力的(みりょくてき)だ。
She has delicate features, and her cool, refreshing atmosphere is attractive.

Modern beauty-vocabulary term (2010s onward), most often used to describe young men's faces. The 'salt' metaphor implies plain, simple, low-key — like food seasoned only with salt rather than rich sauces.

Common collocations

  • 塩顔(しおがお)男子(だんし): a guy with delicate features
  • 塩顔(しおがお)イケメン: a good-looking guy with the 'salt face' look

Face-type vocabulary

  • 醤油顔(しょうゆがお): 'soy-sauce face' — classic Japanese features (single eyelids, slim build)
  • ソース顔(がお): 'sauce face' — deep-set, sharp, more Western-looking features
  • 塩顔(しおがお): 'salt face' — plain, soft, low-contrast features

Related Words

Related: イケメン (good-looking guy, handsome man)
general
Added 2026.6.3 11:08 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
28500/28613_shiogao