Translation guide
The word 'brow' in English can refer to the eyebrow, the forehead, or the top edge of a hill or cliff. This guide helps learners express these concepts naturally in Japanese.
Referring to the line of hair above the eye.
Referring to the part of the face above the eyes.
The standard word for 'forehead'. Used in all contexts.
Referring to the projecting edge or summit of a steep place.
Means 'top' or 'summit', often used for hills or mountains. Can be used poetically for 'brow of a hill'.
While 額 (ひたい) is correct, using おでこ is more natural in casual conversation when referring to someone's forehead, especially with friends or family.
She has thick eyebrows.
To frown (knit one's brows).
Literally 'eyebrow hair', often used interchangeably with 眉. Slightly more colloquial.
To groom one's eyebrows.
彼は額に汗をかいていた。
He had sweat on his brow.
To wrinkle one's brow.
A more casual and affectionate term for 'forehead', often used with children or in informal settings.
You have a broad forehead, don't you?
To stand on the brow of the hill.
Means 'edge' or 'brink'. Can be used for the brow of a cliff.
To stand on the brow of the cliff.
Literally 'top of the hill', a straightforward way to express 'brow of a hill'.
To view the scenery from the brow of the hill.