白粉おしろい

お

し

ろ

い

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

white face powder; makeup powder

Traditional white powder used for makeup, especially in kabuki or geisha makeup. Also refers to modern face powder.

彼かの女じょは舞ぶ台たい用ように白粉おしろいを厚あつく塗ぬった。
She applied thick white makeup powder for the stage.
この白粉おしろいは肌はだに優やさしい成せい分ぶんでできて

いる

。

This face powder is made with ingredients gentle on the skin.

Written forms

白粉おしろいUsage77%
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Standard kanji spelling. The reading おしろい is a jukujikun (special kanji reading).
おしろいUsage22%
gikun (meaning-based reading) or jukujikun
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
オシロイUsage1%

Kanji

白white
粉flour, powder, dust

Similar words

ファンデーション
ファンデーション is modern liquid or cream foundation, while 白粉 is traditional loose powder, often white.
お化け粧しょう
お化粧 is the general act of putting on makeup, while 白粉 specifically refers to the powder product.

Etymology

The kanji 白 (white) and 粉 (powder) directly describe the product. The reading おしろい is a jukujikun, a special reading assigned to the kanji compound rather than derived from the individual characters' usual readings.