Japanese symbol for “cheek”
頬
ほお
Romaji: hoo
cheek (of the face)
In Japanese, cheek is 頬, read ほお (hoo).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n cheek (of the face)
Written forms: 頬、頰. Readings: ほお、ほほ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “cheek”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 面 | つら tsura | cheek; cheeks |
| 心臓 | しんぞう shinzou | guts; nerve; cheek |
| チーク | チーク chiiku | cheek |
| 頬っぺた | ほっぺた hoppeta | cheek |
| 頬っぺ | ほっぺ hoppe | cheek |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 頬骨 | ほおぼね hoobone | cheekbone; zygomatic bone; malar bone |
| 頬張る | ほおばる hoobaru | to stuff one's cheeks; to fill one's mouth (with food) |
| 頬ずり | ほおずり hoozuri | rubbing cheeks together (as a display of affection); pressing cheeks together |
| 頬杖 | ほおづえ hoozue | resting one's chin in one's hands |
| 頬袋 | ほおぶくろ hoobukuro | cheek pouch |
| 頬紅 | ほおべに hoobeni | cheek rouge; blusher; blush |
See also: Chinese symbol for “cheek”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.