nasolabial fold; smile line; laugh line
Refers to the lines that run from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth. Common in beauty and skincare contexts. The medical term is 鼻唇溝 (びしんこう).
See also: 鼻唇溝
Lately, I've become concerned about my smile lines.
Cosmetics that make nasolabial folds less noticeable are popular.
Medical/anatomical term for the same feature; ほうれい線 is the everyday word.
Most common spelling; uses 線 for 'line' and kana for the rest.
Kanji spelling using 法令 (law/ordinance), but this is a phonetic use (ateji) unrelated to the meaning.
Rare ateji spelling using 豊 (abundant) and 麗 (lovely), sometimes seen in cosmetic contexts.
Rare ateji spelling using 豊 (abundant) and 齢 (age), sometimes seen in cosmetic contexts.
The origin of ほうれい is uncertain. The kanji spellings 法令, 豊麗, and 豊齢 are ateji (phonetic equivalents) and do not reflect the meaning. The word is commonly written with 線 (line).