About
The character 靥 is a phono-semantic compound with the semantic component 面 (miàn, face) at the bottom and the phonetic component 厌 (yàn, to dislike) at the top. Its traditional form 靨 uses the traditional phonetic 厭. The character primarily refers to a cheek dimple, especially one that appears when smiling. In modern usage, it often appears in poetic or formal contexts to describe a sweet, smiling face or an artificial dimple drawn in historical Chinese makeup.
Etymology Hide
