guancia
/ˈɡwan.t͡ʃa/feminine
The English word "cheek" is translated into Italian as guancia. Wiktionary also lists gota.
Meaning: part of face (noun)
Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| guancia | /ˈɡwan.t͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| gota | /ˈɡɔ.ta/ | feminine |
The word refers to the part of the face. Common expressions include dare un bacio sulla guancia (to give a kiss on the cheek) and dare una carezza sulla guancia (to give a caress on the cheek). Additionally, the idiomatic phrase fare il muso is used to mean "to pout".
Which one should you use?
guancia is the standard form used throughout Italy, while gota is a regional variant used in certain parts of the country.
Is it said differently in some regions?
gota is a regional variant of the word.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of guancia is guance.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈɡwan.tʃa/. It has 2 syllables, with the stress on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- When Italians describe a 'rosy cheek', they often use the adjective fiorita, which literally means 'flowered'.
- The ancestor of guancia was a Lombardic word, meaning the term entered the Italian vocabulary through Germanic tribes during the Middle Ages.
- While guancia is used for the face, Italians use the phrase fare il muso to describe pouting, which literally means 'to make the snout'.
Examples in context
- Si grattò la guancia.He scratched his cheek.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe the action of scratching the form guancia.Tatoeba #8879626 by Guybrush88, translation #7390982 by CH
- La baciò sulla guancia.He kissed her on the cheek.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe kissing someone on the form guancia.Tatoeba #398141 by Pharamp, translation #302754 by CK
- Mi baciò sulla guancia.He kissed me on the cheek.This sentence is useful for seeing how to describe being kissed on the form guancia.Tatoeba #2439804 by Guybrush88, translation #2439789 by Hybrid
- La ragazza aveva una guancia delicata.The girl had a delicate cheek.
- Mi ha pizzicato sulla guancina.He/She pinched my cheek.
- 56 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Martina and Alessandro are talking about a sunburn.
- MartinaHai la guancia tutta rossa.Your cheek is all red.
- AlessandroSì, mi sono scottato la guancia.Yes, I burned my cheek.
- MartinaTi fa male la guancia?Does your cheek hurt?
- AlessandroUn po', ma passerà.A little, but it will pass.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheek” translations and entries guancia, gota, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gota, guancia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
