頰 — “Cheeks / Jaw” in Japanese

Master (高手)きょう, ほお, ほほ

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“Cheeks / Jaw” in Japanese is 頰, read kyou, hoo, hoho (きょう, ほお, ほほ). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 頰 (cheek).

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What does 頰 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	頰
Meaning	Cheeks / Jaw
Readings	きょう, ほお, ほほ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	頰 (cheek)

How to read 頰

頰 is read kyou (きょう) or hoo (ほお) or hoho (ほほ) depending on the word.

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Kanji read the same way as 頰

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28