Mnemonic
An octopus grabs a glossy page from a beauty magazine and slaps it against your face with its suction-cup tentacles. When you peel the page away, dozens of tiny round suction marks dot your cheeks on both sides, making you look hilariously flushed.
Additional thoughts
Picture the symmetry: tentacles press equally on both cheeks, reinforcing the paired nature of the kanji. Suction cups = rosy circles = blushing cheeks.Quick recall
An octopus smacks a page onto your face, leaving suction marks all over your cheeks.Details
The keyword for 頰 is cheeks. This kanji refers to the soft, fleshy sides of the face between the nose and the ears, below the eyes and above the jawline. It represents the area of the face that flushes with color when one is embarrassed or cold, and is often associated with expressions of emotion or health. The character specifically denotes both sides of the face simultaneously, emphasizing the paired nature of the cheeks.
- On'yomi
- きょう
- Kun'yomi
- ほお、ほほ