えくぼ

Written forms

• えくぼUsage71%

  The word is usually written in kana. This is the standard spelling.

• エクボUsage17%
  kana-only spelling

  Katakana spelling, sometimes used for stylistic effect or in informal writing.

• 笑え窪くぼUsage10%
  rarely-used kanji form

  Rare kanji form. The characters mean 'smile' and 'hollow', but this spelling is seldom used.

• 靨えくぼUsage2%
  rarely-used kanji form

  Rare single-character kanji form. Not commonly encountered.

Kanji

• 笑laugh
• 窪depression, cave in, sink
• 靨dimple

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be related to 笑み (emi, 'smile') and 窪 (kubo, 'hollow'), but the exact derivation is unclear.