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優しい顔をする

Rinilex

先輩
20 Feb 2013
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I've seen this used quite a few times, and I'm not really sure how best to put it in English. With other similar expressions, I understand that ____顔をする tends to mean "to have a ___ face" or " to look ___" or "make a ___ expression", but I don't think there's really a natural sounding English equivalent with this.

To have a gentle expression, perhaps?

One example I've heard is a man writing a letter to his 'beloved', which he begins with 「優しい顔をしているか?」And goes on to ask her if she's well. I can't put it in English without it sounding like an odd question...
 
In that context, it seems to me that the writer is asking if she is in calm.

優しい顔をする usually means "to be nice to someone".
 
In that context, it seems to me that the writer is asking if she is in calm.
優しい顔をする usually means "to be nice to someone".

Ah, that does make sense with the context!

And I've never come across that meaning before, I had no idea. Thank you! : D

Then, in this song: moon-struck (an unofficial translation site for GACKT) (in the sixth verse) would you translate that as the speaker asking who he's addressing to be nice to him? Here (and in several other songs I've seen) it's usually put as "give me a kind look" , which is sort of similar, but is that too literal?

Or could it be like the first example, considering the following line in the song, and he's asking them to be calm/ at peace? (Sorry for the questions, just want to make sure I get the nuance right. :sorry:)
 
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