容姿（ようし、youshi）
- appearance

The Japanese word 容姿, read as ようし (yōshi), primarily refers to one's physical appearance, looks, or features. It encompasses the overall impression someone gives based on their body shape, facial features, clothing, and general presentation. It's often used in discussions about beauty, attractiveness, and how someone is perceived visually. It can apply to both humans and animals. The 容姿 is usually seen as the external expression of one's form.

⚫︎彼女は美しい容姿 Translation: She has a beautiful appearance. ⚫︎彼の容姿はとても魅力的だ Translation: His appearance is very attractive. ⚫︎その犬は優れた容姿を持っている Translation: That dog has an excellent appearance.

容姿 is used in formal and informal situations. It can be used in conversations to describe someone's attractiveness, to compliment someone on their looks, or to discuss physical characteristics. The word is generally neutral and does not inherently carry a positive or negative connotation. The context will determine if it is a compliment or a neutral description. It's important to be mindful of the social context when using this word, as comments about someone's 容姿 can sometimes be perceived as sensitive.

容姿 is written using the kanji 容 (yō, meaning "appearance" or "form") and 姿 (shi, meaning "figure" or "appearance"). The reading is ようし in hiragana. There is only one standard way to write this word, with no variations in okurigana.

⚫︎外見 (gaiken): Appearance, outward appearance. ⚫︎見た目 (mitame): Appearance, look. ⚫︎ルックス (rukkusu): Looks (loanword from English). ⚫︎姿 (sugata): Appearance, figure. ⚫︎顔つき (kaotsuki): Facial features, expression.

While there isn't a direct antonym for 容姿, words that imply a lack of attractiveness or a negative physical appearance can function as opposites in certain contexts. However, the concept is subjective and depends on what someone is looking for. ⚫︎Words implying bad looks: ⚫︎不格好 (bukakkō): Clumsy, awkward, unsightly. ⚫︎醜い (minikui): Ugly, unsightly.

彼女の容姿は、多くの人々に感銘を与えた。 ・Translation: Her appearance impressed many people. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the positive impact her physical appearance had on others.

彼は自分の容姿にあまり自信がない。 ・Translation: He is not very confident about his appearance. ・Explanation: This sentence indicates someone's insecurity regarding their physical looks.

The word 容姿 is formed by combining the kanji 容 which originally meant "to contain, to hold", and then evolved to encompass "appearance" or "form," with the kanji 姿 that also means "figure" or "appearance." Together, they create a word specifically focusing on the external physical appearance.