真ま顔がお

ま

が

お

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

A facial expression that is earnest, unsmiling, or without joking; often used when someone suddenly becomes serious or when a joke is delivered with a deadpan expression.

彼かれは真ま顔がおで冗じょう談だんを言いった。
He told a joke with a straight face.
急きゅうに真ま顔がおになって、大だい事じな話はなしを始はじめた。
Suddenly he became serious and started talking about something important.

See all 10 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

真ま顔がおで〈動どう詞し〉to do something with a straight/serious face
彼かれは真ま顔がおでそんな冗じょう談だんを言いった。
He said that joke with a completely straight face.
真ま顔がおになるto suddenly turn serious-faced
彼かの女じょは突とつ然ぜん真ま顔がおになって私わたしを見みた。
She suddenly turned serious and looked at me.
真ま顔がおで〈事こと〉を聞きくto ask something with a straight face
先せん生せいは真ま顔がおでその質しつ問もんを聞きいた。
The teacher asked that question with a serious expression.

Kanji

真true, reality, Buddhist sect
顔face, expression

Related words

真面目まじめN4
真面目 describes a serious personality or attitude in general, while 真顔 refers specifically to a serious facial expression at a given moment.
無む表ひょう情じょうN3
無表情 means blank or expressionless, showing no emotion at all, whereas 真顔 implies a deliberately earnest or unsmiling look that can still convey seriousness.

Opposites

笑え顔がおN3
笑顔 is a smiling face, the direct opposite of 真顔's unsmiling, serious expression.

Don't confuse with

素す顔がおN1
素顔 means one's bare face without makeup or a mask, while 真顔 is about a serious facial expression, not the state of the skin.

Built from

真ま+顔かお

Etymology

Compound of 真 (ma, 'true') and 顔 (kao, 'face'), with rendaku voicing of かお to がお. The word straightforwardly means 'true face' in the sense of a serious, unfeigned expression.