くせ毛
kusege
The Japanese phrase for curly hair is くせ毛 (kusege).
くせ毛 is used to describe curly or frizzy hair. It often carries the connotation of hair that is unruly, frizzy or difficult to manage because of its natural texture.
How do you pronounce it?
kusege
Did you know?
- In Japan, many people use the term 天然パーマ (tennen pama), a transliteration of 'natural perm', to describe their hair. This sounds much more positive and intentional than the more descriptive くせ毛.
- The first part of くせ毛, くせ, can also mean a 'habit' or a 'tendency' in other contexts. This suggests that unruly hair is viewed almost like a personal quirk or a repetitive behavioral pattern.
- In Japan, くせ毛 is frequently viewed as a problem to be 'fixed' rather than a style. Many people use 'straightening' treatments to eliminate it entirely.
Examples in context
- 私はくせ毛が悩みです。Watashi wa kuseke ga nayami desu.My curly hair is a problem for me.
- くせ毛を伸ばしたいです。Kuseke o nobashitai desu.I want to let my curly hair grow.
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are talking about hairstyles.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くんはくせ毛なの？Ren-kun wa kusege nano?Ren, do you have curly hair?
- 蓮 Renうん、昔からくせ毛なんだ。Un, mukashi kara kusege nanda.Yeah, I've had curly hair since I was young.
- 結衣 Yuiいい感じにまとまってて素敵だよ。Ii kanji ni matomatte te suteki dayo.It looks well-styled and lovely.
- 蓮 Renありがとう、嬉しいな。Arigatou, ureshii na.Thanks, I'm glad to hear that.
