mejilla
/meˈxiʝa/feminine
The English word "cheek" is translated into Spanish as mejilla. Wiktionary also lists cacha and cachete.
Meaning: part of face (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| mejilla | /meˈxiʝa/ | feminine |
| cacha | /ˈkat͡ʃa/ | feminine |
| cachete | /kaˈt͡ʃete/ | feminine |
| carrillo | /kaˈriʝo/ | masculine |
All provided terms refer to the part of the face known as the cheek.
Which one should you use?
mejilla is the standard, most neutral term used in formal or medical contexts. In contrast, cachete is a common, more colloquial term used in everyday conversation.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of the feminine noun mejilla is las mejillas. The plural form of the masculine noun cachetes is los cachetes.
How do you pronounce it?
/meˈxiʝa/
Did you know?
- The word carrillo is often used in culinary contexts, such as carrillo de cerdo, to refer to a slow-cooked pork cheek.
- The word cachete is used to describe a slap in the face, such as dar un cachete.
- The term cacha is unexpectedly related to the word for a 'hilt' or 'handle' of a sword, derived from the Latin 'capulum'.
Examples in context
- La besó en la mejilla.He kissed her on the cheek.This sentence is useful for describing a kiss on the mejilla.Tatoeba #858387 by Rafp, translation #302754 by CK
- Te besé en la mejilla.I kissed you on the cheek.Tatoeba #3225556 by Shishir, translation #9870387 by DJ_Saidez
- Él me tocó en la mejilla.He touched me on the cheek.This sentence is useful for describing a touch on the mejilla.Tatoeba #1256929 by marcelostockle, translation #297768 by CM
- La abuela le dio un beso en la mejilla.The grandmother gave him a kiss on the cheek.
- Deslizó suavemente su mano por su mejilla.He gently slid his hand across her cheek.
- ¡Qué lindo cachete tienes!What a lovely cheek you have!
- Le dio una palmada en el cachete para calmarla.He patted her cheek to calm her down.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are talking about a small injury.
- MateoLucía, ¿te duele la mejilla?Lucía, does your cheek hurt?
- LucíaSí, me golpeé la mejilla izquierda.Yes, I hit my left cheek.
- MateoTengo un poco de hielo para tu mejilla.I have some ice for your cheek.
- LucíaMuchas gracias, Mateo.Thank you very much, Mateo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheek” translations and entries mejilla, cacha, cachete, carrillo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cacha, cachete, carrillo, mejilla, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
