The kanji 顔 primarily means "face." It refers to the front part of the head, including the eyes, nose, mouth, and cheeks, and is the area used for seeing, smelling, eating, and expressing emotions. The character encompasses the visible surface of the head, which is crucial for identification and interaction. It can also figuratively represent appearance, expression, or the surface of something.

・On-yomi (音読み): ガン (gan) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): かお (kao)

⚫︎顔写真 (kaoshashin) Translation: Photo; headshot ⚫︎顔色 (kaoiro) Translation: Complexion; facial expression ⚫︎顔を洗う (kao wo arau) Translation: To wash one's face

The kanji 顔 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字, keisei moji). The left side is a radical called 页 (おおがい, oogai), which represents the head or skull. The right side is 彦 (hiko), which contributes the sound and possibly indicates something beautiful or handsome. Combining these elements, 顔 originally depicted the human face and how it appears. Over time, the form became standardized, but the components reveal the character's core meaning of "face" and its association with the visual aspects of the head.