How to say "beauty" in Japanese

• 美容びようJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounBeauty of a person's appearance — figure, features, looks — rather than abstract beauty. Typical of talk about caring for or improving one's appearance.
  間食かんしょくは美容びように悪わるい。↗

  Eating between meals is bad for the figure.
• 美びJLPT N1approx.Common
  noun, noun (suffix)Beauty in the abstract — the quality itself, as in art or nature — not a beautiful person. Use it when discussing beauty as a concept, ideal or aesthetic value.
  私は美びを愛あいする人間にんげんである。↗

  I am a lover of the beautiful.
• 美人びじんJLPT N3approx.Common
  nounHere 'beauty' is a person: a beautiful woman, a belle. Use it when English 'a beauty' or 'good-looker' refers to a woman, not for beauty as a quality or abstract idea.
  スミス夫人ふじんは美人びじんで有名ゆうめいだった。↗

  Mrs. Smith was a famous beauty.
• 美貌びぼうCommon
  no-adjectiveBeauty of the face: good looks. It points to a person's facial beauty rather than beauty as an abstract quality, and unlike 美人 it names the looks, not the woman.
  ベスは美貌びぼうを保たもっている。↗

  Beth has preserved her good looks.
• 傾城けいせいCommon
  nounA woman of bewitching, siren-like beauty — beauty that captivates or beguiles. For the ordinary sense of 'beauty' this is seldom the word you want; it really denotes such a woman.

Use 美 for beauty as an abstract quality, 美容 for personal appearance and figure, 美人 for a beautiful woman, 美貌 for facial good looks, and reserve 傾城 for a bewitching, siren-like beauty.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 美容びようbeauty
• 美びbeauty
• 美人びじんbeautiful woman
• 美貌びぼうbeautiful face
• 傾城けいせいbeauty
• 妙味みょうみexquisiteness
• ビューティーbeauty
• 妍けんbeauty
• 傾国けいこくbeauty
• 佳麗かれいbeauty
• ちゅらさんbeauty
• 美しさうつくしさbeauty
• 麗人れいじんbeautiful woman
• ボーテbeauté
• 美姫びきbeautiful maiden
• 容色ようしょくlooks
• 麗質れいしつgenius
• 色香いろかloveliness
• 素晴らしさすばらしさsplendor
• 小町こまちbelle
• 佳人かじん(female) beauty
• 花はなbeauty
• 美形びけいbeauty
• 上玉じょうだまbeautiful woman
• 色いろbeauty