Japanese symbol for “grimace”
しかめっ面
しかめっつら
Romaji: shikamettsura
frown; scowl; grimace
In Japanese, grimace is しかめっ面, read しかめっつら (shikamettsura).
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
- adj-no, n frown; scowl; grimace
Written forms: しかめっ面、顰めっ面. Readings: しかめっつら.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “grimace”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 渋面 | じゅうめん juumen | grimace; sullen face |
| 顔をしかめる | かおをしかめる kaooshikameru | to grimace; to frown |
| 顔を歪める | かおをゆがめる kaooyugameru | to grimace; to make a wry face; to contort one's face |
| しかめ面 | しかめづら shikamezura | frown; scowl; grimace |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 画面 | がめん gamen | screen (of a TV, computer, etc.) |
| 面倒 | めんどう mendou | trouble; bother |
| 面白い | おもしろい omoshiroi | interesting; fascinating; intriguing |
| 場面 | ばめん bamen | scene; setting; place (where something happens) |
| 表面 | ひょうめん hyoumen | surface; face |
| 方面 | ほうめん houmen | direction; district; area |
See also: Chinese symbol for “grimace”.
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.