hannya mask; demoness mask
Only with reading はんにゃめん
A Noh mask depicting a horned, grinning female demon, representing intense jealousy and rage. Used in Noh plays such as Dōjōji.
I saw a real hannya mask at the Noh theater.
terrifying face; jealous rage expression
Metaphorical use describing a woman's face twisted by jealousy or fury, resembling the hannya mask. Often used in everyday language.
She turned into a terrifying face out of jealousy.
I can't forget that expression like a hannya mask.
Standard kanji spelling for the Noh mask and the metaphorical expression.
般若 (hannya) is a Buddhist term for 'wisdom', but in Noh it refers to a demoness. 面 (men) means 'mask' or 'face'. The metaphorical sense derives from the mask's fierce expression.