also: あかづら · あかっつら
red face; flushed face
Literally a red face, often from embarrassment, anger, or drinking.
His face turned red with anger.
villain; red-faced villain
In kabuki and jōruri, a stock character with red face makeup, typically a villain.
In kabuki, the red-faced villain is often portrayed as an antagonist.
Standard kanji spelling for both senses.
Kana spelling, useful when the kanji are obscure.
Voiced reading variant.
Rare variant using 赭 (red ochre).
Obsolete kana form.
Compound of 赤 (red) and 面 (face). The theatrical sense derives from the red makeup used for villainous roles.