How to describe someone's facial hair in English
Ever see a man with hair on his face and wonder how to describe it in English? Here's how!
Facial hair actions
First, you should know that we usually say "___ has a ___." For example,
My dad has a beard.
When someone's facial hair isn't complete yet, you can say that they are "growing a ___":
I'm growing a mustache.
But if you have facial hair already, you "grow it out":
I'm trying to grow out my beard.
If your beard is a ltitle too long, you "trim" it.
Types of facial hair
Second, you should know the difference between a "beard" and a "mustache". A beard covers most of a person's face. A mustache just covers the part above the person's lip, although the sides of it can hang down long or stick out to the sides.
A goatee is hair that's mostly just around the mouth area. It can be on the chin under the mouth, and may or may not include a mustache.
Sideburns are grown on the side of a man's face. They hang down from his hair.
What about people without facial hair?
When someone shaves their facial hair, you can say that they are "clean-shaven". If they go a day or two without shaving, they might develop a "five o'clock shadow". That describes someone with a bit of stubble, which is hair that's just barely poking out of the skin.
Some men don't grow a lot of hair on their faces. You might describe someone like that as "baby-faced", though he probably won't like that phrase!
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