frightful face; scary face
Used to describe a face that looks frightening, stern, or intimidating. Often carries a slightly humorous or exaggerated tone.
When he gets angry, his face becomes frightening.
That mask has a really scary face.
怖い顔 is a more common and direct way to say 'scary face', while 御面相 is more literary or old-fashioned.
Standard kanji spelling with honorific prefix 御.
Kana prefix variant; less formal but still encountered.
Compound of honorific prefix 御 (ご) and 面相 (めんそう, 'face, features'). The exact origin of the 'frightful' nuance is uncertain, but it likely developed from the idea of an imposing or stern countenance.