How to say "looks" in Japanese

• 顔かおJLPT N5approx.Common
  nounMost basically the face itself; its 'looks' sense is the look of the face, as in having good looks. Use it when you simply mean the face.
  ヘレンはみんなにほめられて顔かおを赤あかくした。↗

  Helen blushed at their praise.
• ルックスCommon
  nounBorrowed word for a person's looks, especially when judging them good or bad; the closest match to English 'looks' about appearance.
  私はなぜか、ルックスに関かかわらず三さん枚まい目めの人ひとを好すきになることが多おおいんです。↗

  I often find myself falling for jokers, regardless of their looks.
• 顔立ちかおだちCommon
  nounCovers 'looks' as facial features — the shape and cast of the face as a whole, as in fine or delicate features. It is about the features rather than the face itself.
  とりわけ人目ひとめをひいたのは、彼女かのじょの卵型たまごがたの顔立かおだちだった。↗

  Especially remarkable was her oval face.
• 外見がいけんCommon
  nounCovers 'looks' as outward appearance in general — how a person or thing looks from the outside, not limited to the face, and often set against inner qualities.
  その学校がっこうは外見がいけんが刑務所けいむしょに似にている。↗

  The school looks like a prison.
• 面相めんそうCommon
  nounMeans countenance — the look or cast of a face rather than looks in the everyday sense; seldom the word you actually want for plain 'looks'.

Choose 顔 for the face itself, 「ルックス」 for a person's looks judged good or bad, 「顔立ち」 for facial features, 外見 for outward appearance generally, and 面相 only when countenance is meant.

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

• 顔かおface
• ルックスlooks
• 顔立ちかおだちlooks
• 外見がいけんoutward appearance
• 面相めんそうcountenance
• 面影おもかげface
• 器量きりょうlooks (esp. of a woman)
• 人相にんそうlooks
• 風貌ふうぼう(a person's) appearance
• 血相けっそうexpression
• 外観がいかんoutward appearance
• 人体じんていpersonal appearance
• 顔かんばせcountenance
• 容貌ようぼうlooks
• 相貌そうぼうlooks
• 面差しおもざしlooks
• 容色ようしょくlooks
• 面貌めんぼうlooks
• 面容めんようlooks
• 顔立てかおだてlooks
• 形貌けいぼうlooks
• 顔かたちかおかたちfeatures
• 見目みめappearance
• 面体めんていface
• 眉目びもくface
• 容顔ようがんfeatures
• 見目形みめかたちappearance
• 目鼻立ちめはなだち(set of) facial features
• 顔つきかおつき(outward) looks
• マスク(facial) features
• 輪郭りんかくlooks
• 形かたちvisage
• 目鼻めはなlooks
• うわべoutward appearance
• 気色きしょくlooks
• 美醜びしゅうpersonal appearance
• 色しょく(facial) expression