Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

顰蹙 (ひんしゅく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

顰ひん蹙しゅく

ひ

ん

しゅ

く

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

frowning on; scorn; disapproval

Used when someone's behavior or statement causes others to frown or show disapproval. Often appears in the phrase 顰蹙を買う (to incur disapproval).

彼かれの失しつ礼れいな発はつ言げんは周しゅう囲いの顰ひん蹙しゅくを買かった。
His rude remark incurred the disapproval of those around him.

あの政せい治じ家かの行こう動どうにはみんながひんしゅくしている。

Everyone is frowning on that politician's behavior.

Written forms

顰ひん蹙しゅくUsage56%
Standard kanji spelling; both characters are relatively rare but this compound is well-known.
ひんしゅくUsage28%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing because the kanji are complex.
ヒンシュクUsage17%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling sometimes used for emphasis or in informal contexts.

Kanji

顰scowl, raise eyebrows
蹙a tight place, scowl, approaching

Similar words

非ひ難なん
非難 is direct criticism or blame, while 顰蹙 is more about silent, collective disapproval or scorn.
反はん感かん
反感 is personal antipathy or ill feeling, whereas 顰蹙 is a visible social reaction of frowning or looking down on something.

Etymology

Compound of 顰 (ひん, 'to frown') and 蹙 (しゅく, 'to knit one's brows'). Both characters are rare outside this compound, but the word itself is relatively common in formal and written Japanese.