面影
Meanings
1
Refers to the remembered or imagined appearance of a person, often tinged with nostalgia or resemblance to someone else.
Her face still lingers in my mind.
The boy bears a resemblance to his father.
2
Used for faint remnants of a past state, person, or thing; often in expressions like 面影がない (no trace remains) or 昔の面影 (vestiges of the past).
Hardly any trace of the old town remains here.
His face still has a vestige of his younger days.
Usage patterns
- 〈人〉に〈人〉の面影が残るtraces of someone's appearance remain in another person
There are still traces of his late father's looks in the son.
- 昔の面影がないto show no trace of how something used to be
This town has been so developed that it shows no trace of what it used to be.
- 〈人〉の面影を偲ぶto fondly recall someone's remembered image
Looking at the photo, I fondly recalled my late mother's face.