顔かおをしかめる

Meanings

1

expression, ichidan verb

grimace; frown; make a wry face

Describes twisting or distorting one's facial expression, often due to pain, disgust, or displeasure.

彼かれは苦にがい薬くすりを飲のんで顔かおをしかめた。
He grimaced after taking the bitter medicine.
その嫌いやな臭においに

、

彼かの

女じょ

は

思おも

わ

ず

顔かお

を

しかめ

た

。

She couldn't help but frown at the unpleasant smell.

Written forms

顔かおをしかめる
Standard spelling using the common kanji 顔 and the kana for しかめる.
顔かおを顰しかめる
Uses the rare kanji 顰 for しかめる; rarely seen in modern writing.

Kanji

顔face, expression
顰scowl, raise eyebrows

Similar words

しかめる
しかめる alone is a transitive verb meaning 'to knit (one's brows)' or 'to contort (one's face)'; 顔をしかめる is the common fixed expression for grimacing.
眉まゆをひそめる
眉をひそめる specifically means 'to frown' or 'to knit one's brows', focusing on the eyebrows, while 顔をしかめる involves the whole face.

Etymology

The verb しかめる is of uncertain origin, possibly related to しわ (wrinkle) or an old mimetic root. The expression 顔をしかめる is a straightforward combination of 顔 (face) and しかめる (to contort).