How to say "frown" in Japanese

• 苦り切るにがりきるCommon
  godan verb, intransitive verbA common verb for looking sour or disgusted, scowling or frowning; it suits cases where visible displeasure or distaste settles on someone's face.
• しかめ面しかめづら
  no-adjectiveA less common noun for the expression itself — a frown, scowl or grimace — suited to describing how someone's face looks rather than the act of frowning.
  しかめ面づらは怒いかりとか不快感ふかいかんを表現ひょうげんするものである。↗

  A frown may express anger or displeasure.
• しかめっ面しかめっつら
  no-adjectiveThe same word as しかめ面 in another form, with the identical senses of frown, scowl and grimace; likewise less common, so either form works.
• 渋い顔をするしぶいかおをする
  expression, suru verbA phrase for making a grim, sullen face; it also expresses disapproval, corresponding to English 'frown on something', alongside the plainer sense of looking displeased.
  うちの課長かちょうは私が何なんかを頼たのむといつも渋しぶい顔かおをするんだ。↗

  Our section chief always makes a face at me when I ask him for something.
• 眉を寄せるまゆをよせる
  expression, ichidan verbA verb phrase that literally means drawing the eyebrows together; it describes the physical act of frowning or scowling and is less common than 苦り切る.
  笑わらいで誤魔化ごまかすと、亜美あみさんはさも不機嫌ふきげんそうに眉まゆを寄よせた。↗

  Ami frowned in a very un-amused way as I brushed her off with a laugh.

For a sour, disgusted scowl use 「苦り切る」; 「しかめ面」 and 「しかめっ面」 are nouns naming the expression itself; 「渋い顔をする」 adds sullen disapproval; 「眉を寄せる」 plainly describes knitting the brows.

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

• 苦り切るにがりきるto look sour
• しかめ面しかめづらfrown
• しかめっ面しかめっつらfrown
• 渋い顔をするしぶいかおをするto frown (on)
• 眉を寄せるまゆをよせるto frown
• 眉根を寄せるまゆねをよせるto frown
• 顔をしかめるかおをしかめるto grimace
• 顰みひそみknitted brows
• 眉をひそめるまゆをひそめるto knit one's brows (in discomfort, unease, disapproval, etc.)
• 曇らせるくもらせるto cloud
• 眉を曇らすまゆをくもらすto knit one's brows
• 難しい顔をするむずかしいかおをするto look displeased
• 眉をしかめるまゆをしかめるto knit one's brows (in discomfort, unease, disapproval, etc.)