Word of Mouth Travel Guide - Japan Hopper » face

Japanese Body Language - Things you can say with your face

Bill Belew — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:06:25 +0000

Here’s a long list of things the Japanese can say with their faces.

However, these are expressions that I never used or don’t remember hearing.

顔が立ちません[かおがたちません, kao ga tachimasen] have lost face

顔が立つ [かおがたつ, kao ga tatsu] maintain one’s status; keep face

顔が汚れる[かおがよごれる, kao ga yogareru] lose status; lose all status

顔から日が出る[かおからひがでる, kao kara hi ga deru] blush deeply; redden in the face

顔に泥を塗る[かおにどろをぬる, kao ni doro o nuru] put to shame

顔を売る[かおをうる, kao o uru] become more popular; gain influence

顔を売れた人[かおをうれたひと, kao o ureta hito] a well-known person

顔を貸す[かおをかす, kao o kasu] assist someone in gaining status

顔を汚す
[かおをよごす, kao o yogosu] be ashamed

Have you ever used/heard them?

Japanese Body Language - 顔を出す

Bill Belew — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:05:27 +0000

We stick our necks out in the west. The Japanese don’t mess around. They stick their whole face out.

顔を出す [かおをだす, kao o dasu] come; arrive; appear; put in an appearance.

Whenever there is a party or an event, friends, if you have them, will want to know if you are planning to attend.

They will ask if you plan to stick your face in/out expecting the rest of your body to follow.

I had a friend once, not Japanese, his nose was so big that it often showed up a few seconds before his face.

The Japanese don’t say stick out your nose but there are other things you can do with it.

Japanese Body Language - 顔がつぶれる

Bill Belew — Wed, 21 May 2008 17:04:17 +0000

It hurts whether it’s actual or idiomatic, to get your faced smashed.

顔がつぶれる [かおがつぶれる, kao ga tsubureru] lose status; have lost status

As much as the Japanese worry about this, you would think that they, politicians and dirty businessmen would be more particular about their many misdeeds.

Still, when they are found out, inevitably you will hear that they have lost face.

Yeah…unfortunately, I have had this happen to me as well.

And, I never got it back in some circles.

顔が汚れる[かおがよごれる, kao ga yogareru] is the same.

Japanese Body Language - 顔が広い

Bill Belew — Tue, 20 May 2008 17:02:11 +0000

Only in Japan would someone be happy to have a fat, okay, broad face.

顔が広い[かおがひろい, kao ga hiroi] know a lot of people; be widely known; have a large circle of acquaintances

This is one expression that I heard more often than the others.

A guy/girl with a wide face is not a fatso, rather, it’s a person who’s face is seen in many place. That is, they are well known, have a large circle of friends and acquaintances.

A real estate agent, a sales person needs to have this kind of face in order to be effective.

Who’s the most well known person you know?

Japanese Body Language - 顔が利く

Bill Belew — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:00:59 +0000

If my dog had a face like yours, I’d shave his back side and make him walk backwards is the worst thing I ever heard someone say about a person’s looks.

In Japan, the face has power.

顔が利く[かおがきく, kao ga kiku] have influence; be influential

If somebody has a face that is effective, you want to have them on your side.

Need to ask a favor? Ask it of someone with this kind of face.

Need an advocate? This is the kind of person who you want in your corner.

Need a raise? You had better hope your immediate boss has influence in getting the owner or whomever holds the purse strings to agree.

Who’s the most influential person you know?

Japanese Body Language - 顔がいい

Bill Belew — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:58:03 +0000

Sadly, too many people, mostly men, only want to say to Japanese girls, you have a cute face.

I wonder if there is another body part that is used more than the face in Japanese idioms.

The face can be good, saved, lost, smashed, wide, sold, lent, stuck out….all sorts of things.

And, each has a different meaning.

顔がいい [かおがいい, kao ga ii] be in good standing; have a good reputation

This is a person who hasn’t messed things up just yet, gets along with everyone in the office and in his circle of influence.

If you want someone to speak up on your behalf, you want a person with a good face.

It has nothing to do with looks or physical appearance.