Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

唇 (くちびる, kuchibiru) Japanese meaning: lip | Kotomora

唇くちびる

く

ち

び

る

Common word›JLPTN3›Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

1

Refers to the fleshy parts around the mouth. Can be singular or plural depending on context.

彼かの女じょは唇くちびるにそっとキスをした。

He gently kissed her on the lips.

寒さむさで唇くちびるが紫むらさき色いろになった。

My lips turned purple from the cold.

Usage patterns

唇くちびるを噛かむto bite one's lip (in frustration or to hold back emotion)
彼かれは悔くやしさに唇くちびるを噛かんだ。
He bit his lip in frustration.
唇くちびるが乾かわくfor one's lips to become dry/chapped
冬ふゆになると唇くちびるが乾かわく。
My lips get dry in winter.
唇くちびるを舐なめるto lick one's lips
彼かの女じょは緊きん張ちょうして唇くちびるを舐なめた。
She licked her lips nervously.
唇くちびるに口くち紅べにを塗ぬるto apply lipstick to one's lips
出でかける前まえに唇くちびるに口くち紅べにを塗ぬった。
I put lipstick on before going out.
唇くちびるが青あおくなるfor one's lips to turn blue (from cold)
寒さむさで唇くちびるが青あおくなった。
His lips turned blue from the cold.

Expressions

唇くちびるを奪うばうsteal a kiss; snatch a kiss
唇くちびるを尖とがらすpout; purse one's lips
唇くちびるを引ひき結むすぶpurse one's lips; press one's lips together
物もの言いえば唇くちびる寒さむし秋あきの風かぜsilence is golden

Kanji

唇lips
脣lip

Related words

リップ
唇 is the native Japanese word for the body part 'lip', while リップ is a fashionable loanword often used in beauty and cosmetics contexts.
口くち先さきN1
唇 refers literally to the lips as a body part, while 口先 can mean the same physical area but more often carries a figurative sense of insincere words.
下した唇くちびる
唇 is the general word for 'lips' as a whole, while 下唇 specifically names just the lower lip.
上うわ唇くちびる
唇 is the general word for 'lip(s)' without specifying which one, while 上唇 specifically means the upper lip.
口くち元もと
唇 names the lips as a body part, whereas 口元 covers the lips plus the surrounding area and the overall look or movement of the mouth.

Don't confuse with

口くちN5
口 refers to the mouth as a whole, while 唇 specifically means the lips, the fleshy rim around the mouth opening.

Counted with

対ついN2
唇 (the upper and lower lip) is occasionally counted with 対 when emphasizing the pair, though it is usually just referred to without a numeral.

Word family

上うわ唇くちびる
upper lip · labrum
下した唇くちびる
lower lip
たらこ唇くちびる
full lips; thick lips

Written forms

唇くちびるUsage93%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
くちびるUsage7%
脣くちびるUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.
クチビルUsage<1%

Etymology

The kanji 唇 is a phono-semantic compound with 辰 (shin) as phonetic and 口 (mouth) as semantic, indicating the lips. The reading くちびる is a native Japanese word.