Japanese word

おでこ

Pronunciation

Romajiodeko

Meaning

  • nounforehead

Example

おでこに髪がかかっています。o de ko ni kami ga ka ka tte i ma su

My hair is hanging over my forehead.

Illustration for おでこ (forehead)

More examples

前髪を上げると、おでこがよく見えます。mae gami o a ge ru to o de ko ga yo ku mi e ma su

When I lift my bangs, my forehead is clearly visible.

Core concept

Refers to the front part of the head between the eyebrows and the hairline, treated as a visible area of the face.

Common phrases

  • おでこを出すo de ko o da su

    show one's forehead

  • おでこが広いo de ko ga hiro i

    have a broad forehead

  • おでこに手を当てるo de ko ni te o a te ru

    place one's hand on one's forehead

Similar words

額gaku: The area of the face above the eyebrows and below the hairline, used in formal and written language.

Definition in Japanese

眉毛の上から髪の生え際までの顔の部分。mayu ge no ue ka ra kami no ha e giwa ma de no kao no bu bun

Word origin

The colloquial Japanese noun おでこ (odeko, "forehead") is generally analyzed as お (o, a polite prefix) plus でこ (deko, "protruding part"), linked to the forehead's outward shape.

Usage tips

  • In casual conversation, おでこ (odeko) often sounds more natural than 額 (hitai) for "forehead," while 額 (hitai) also appears in formal and written language.

Other meanings

  • brownoun

Word lists with this word