笑えみ

え

み

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

A slightly literary or refined word for a smile, often suggesting a gentle, warm, or quiet expression. In everyday speech, 笑顔 (えがお) is more common.

彼かの女じょの口くち元もとにほのかな笑えみが浮うかんだ。
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
祖そ父ふは孫まごを見みて、目めじりに深ふかい笑えみをたたえた。
Looking at his grandchild, my grandfather's eyes crinkled in a deep smile.

See all 125 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が笑えみを浮うかべるfor someone to have a smile appear on their face
彼かの女じょは静しずかに笑えみを浮うかべた。
She quietly showed a smile.
〈人ひと〉に笑えみがこぼれるfor a smile to spread across one's face unintentionally
その知しらせを聞きいて、思おもわず笑えみがこぼれた。
Hearing the news, a smile spread across my face before I could stop it.
〈人ひと〉に笑えみを向むけるto direct a smile at someone
先せん生せいは生せい徒とたちに優やさしい笑えみを向むけた。
The teacher smiled gently at the students.

Expressions

満まん面めんの笑えみradiant smile; contented smile; beaming smile
笑えみをたたえるbe all smiles; have a smile on one's face
会かい心しんの笑えみを浮うかべるsmile a satisfied smile; break into a smile of satisfaction

Kanji

笑laugh

Related words

笑え顔がおN3
笑顔 is the common, everyday word for a smiling face, while 笑み is more literary and often refers to the smile itself rather than the whole expression.
微笑ほほえみN3
微笑み is also a gentle smile and slightly less literary than 笑み, which tends to appear in set phrases like 笑みを浮かべる.
微び笑しょうN1
微笑 is a formal, written word for a faint smile, close in register to 笑み but even more restricted to literary or descriptive prose.
スマイルN3
笑み is a literary, slightly old-fashioned word for a smile, whereas スマイル is a modern loanword with a casual or Western feel.

Don't confuse with

笑わらいN3
笑い means laughter or laughing (often with sound), whereas 笑み refers only to a silent, gentle smile.
笑わらい声ごえN1
笑い声 is an audible sound of laughing, whereas 笑み is a silent smile with no accompanying sound.

Word family

微笑ほほえみN3
smile
微笑ほほえみかけるN2
smile at someone
笑えみ割われる
crack into a smile; break into a grin

Written forms

笑えみUsage99%
Standard kanji spelling; the only written form.
えみUsage1%

Etymology

Derived from the verb 笑む (えむ), an older or more literary form of 笑う (わらう). The noun 笑み retains a refined, gentle nuance compared to the more common 笑い (わらい).