Facial Structure Recognition
Here’s a somewhat controversial question (depending on who you ask it to): Can you tell someone’s “race” by looking at their facial structure? That is to say could you tell the difference between, for example, a native Japanese / Korean / Chinese person just by looking at their face?
race – n.
- A local geographic or global human population distinguished as a distinct group by genetically transmitted physical characteristics.
- A group of people united or classified together on the basis of common history, nationality, or geographic distribution.
This is a question which I’ve found occasionally comes up in conversation with both Asian and non-Asian friends and I’ve never heard a definitive answer. To the latter group Asians generally tend to “look the same” (which will undoubtedly get you in trouble) while for the former it’s less clear cut ~ some people claim they can while others say it’s impossible. A quick Google search confirms that there are a variety opinions in both directions and there are even whole sites dedicated to the subject.
I scratched my head about this for a long while thinking that logically if a group of people come from the same hereditary genetic pool, based in a semi-enclosed geographical location with a shared heritage of thousands of years, then surely wouldn’t they end up with some similar physical characteristics which would be reliably identifiable, at least for a high percentage of the population?
As per the example here’s my rather un-scientific theory based on morphological observation:
Photo by Ernesto JT
Japanese people tend to have a longer / oval facial structure with wider / larger eyes and more pronounced noses. Japanese women often put on thick makeup giving them a pale white complexion.
Photo by Kam
Chinese people tend to have rounder faces than both Korean and Japanese people. China is a huge multi-ethnic country unlike Korea and Japan (which are more ethnically homogeneous) making it much harder to differentiate or generalize.
Photo by Dax Melmer
Korean people tend to have flatter faces with higher / squarer cheek bones and smaller eyes with single eyelids (opposed to double). A high proportion of Korean women have had cosmetic surgery somewhat confusing things.
Although I’ve found the above a fairly reliable definition trying to guess based on facial structure alone seems to be pretty hit-and-miss in reality. The success rate greatly increases when you included other observable indicators such as name, language, behavior, hairstyle and clothing. According to more scientific studies both East Asians and Caucasians are more easily identifiable by facial features than others.
Failing all that you could just ask which is probably a safer bet than trying to guess and risk upsetting anyone!
Can you tell the difference? (Note: any racist comments will be deleted).
Other possibly related posts you might enjoy:
As for China, the people there can look different from one area to the next. It is hard to tell who is who. I remember seeing people from the northern region that look like Korean or even a japanese person.
China is huge and have high pollution level leading to many birth defects like cleft palate (spelling??). With Nationmaster of plastic surgeries they lump comestic surgeries and non comestic surgereis together.
In reality south korea is the highest per capita cuz most surgeries done there is for comestic purposes.
Most koreans do double eyelids, but I find some to have beautiful single eyelids that they shouldn’t even had done double eyelids. It ruined their own natural beauties.
Most Japanese from the town I grew up in have small eyes and single eyelids. But as I moved myself into big cities, I am not able to tell rather they are chinese or Japanese people. There are like 15% of the time that I mistaken a korean as either a chinese or japanese person. Most of the koreans I know all do have flatter faces with their cheek bones very high up on the cheeks and small eyes and single eyelids. With koreans I 85% correct in identifying their faces. But now many of them in the United States are getting plastic surgeries in south Korea making it hard to identify them with their original facial features.
The part identifying Japanese having more oval faces and wider eyes are not exactly true. I just read that Japanese do a lot of plastic surgeries to their eyelids, but I do agreed that more japaanese have more of a narrow face shape than other asians.
Some japanese look korea too and some japanese look chinese that is because chinese and korean dna is almost about the same percentage found in Japanese population of Japan. The southern islands of japan have higher southern chinese dnas.
North chinese have light skin, taller and narrower noses than southern chinese, but there are exception to this rule too.
Southern chinese have rounder eyes.
Anyway, everyone have their own opinion of what is consdiered more attractive.
I have been mistake for japanese , korea, japanese mixed with mexican, korean mixed with white, chinese mix with white. Oh well, I don’t care what people say cuz it is just an opinion.
I have rounder eyes with double eyelids, tall nose bridge, but my nose base is not narrow, high cheek bones.
I used to get hispanics speaking spanish to me and I don’t think I look like one either!!!!!!! Some hispanic people told me I can pass as one of their own. OH, well. It is an opinion.
Lastely, due to my tall nose bridge, I was asked a few times if My nose was real by several asian people. I laughed at that one cuz my nose is not great looking. I am glad I didn’t tried to fix my nose base. I read too many plastic surgeries nitemares.
Those three pictures definitely show different bone structure, but they are all beautiful women. WOW.
I agree they all look very pretty
In China, you can find women looking like all three of these women. In northern korea, you can find northern chinese looking like that korean women. That is because there is korean living there and there a so much mixing between manchurians, ethnic chinese, and koreans. Also don’t forget that northern chinese also had mixed with some mongolians. Some Japanese and koreans look identifical. Why? Some koreans migrated to japan and intermixed and so did some chinese. The general rule is koreans have too high cheeck bones and 80% population is single eyelids. Japanese also have some population with korean cheek bone structures and single eyelids. Some islands of Japan have high population of chinese DNAs. Those are the ones that have double eyelids cuz DNA is from southern China. MOst single eyelids chinese people are in Northern China. China is made up of over 56 asian ethnic groups, but majority of the people claim to be real ethnic chinese.
Anyway the bottom line is we all came from the same race. That is the mongoloid race. The people that have the most distinctive facial features isolated themselves from breeding with outside ethnic groups after they arrive into their new territories. You know know the the old saying is “if you inbreed among your own kind and not enough gene pool with create that same look into your people’s face”. Southern Japanese looks different than northern ethnic japanese. We don’t count the ainu into this okay???
I agree with these comments, but i am Japanese and have single eyelid though my eyes are fairly large. I live in Northern Ireland now and everyone thinks I’m Chinese, its annoying but i dont mind too much. My best friend is from Hong Kong and she says she can tell differnce between Hong Kong people and Mainland China. I definuitly agree with the Korean one though, my friend looks alot like your picture!
ps. i am half chinese tho!
Just in case some of you people don’t realized. Japanese researchers found on some island of japan there is very high frequency of chinese dna in japanese people. I forgot a name of of big japan island where chinese DNA is traced to southern china and they look very similar to japanese on this island. NOwadays I sometimes have a hard time telling chinese and japanese people apart, but for most part I can identify korean easier. But since so many korean women are getting plastic surgeries in america , it is get much harder. In south korea majority of young women had facial plastic surgeries. Many do eyelids, nose, cheek and jaw bone reduction. Afterward , their korean identity is lost. In Japan they find also korean DNA in some Japanese people. In china, it is said there is are millions of 1/2 ethnic chiense and japanese people. And even a greater amount of people that is ethnic chinese, manchurian, and korean living usually in north east proviences of china. A 1/2 japanese 1/2 chinese american born girl I knew many years ago look more japanese than chinese. Her mum is chinese and she look so damn young at 45. She can past for late 20′s. Oh, she also have two older brother that looks completely japanese more than she does. Laura didn’t have big eyes, but she does have small eyes with double eyelids that fits balance for her small oval face shape.
Just keep in mind that different part of china people can look different.
I born in hong kong and was mistake for almost everything. In earlier days, I didn’t liek it but as I age I can understand it better. I am pure chinese & ancestory from southern china, Canton area. I have a cousin that looks complete like a latina. I get mistake as half white and half japanese or half chinese. I get mistake as having mexican or spanish blood in me. I get mistaken as filipino, thai, and a very few time as korean. In college due to the high percentage of vietnamese in my area, the vietnamese people will start talking to me in viet language. I get confuse with the vietnamese people myself. Because of them being mixed with french, and many ethnic chinese migrated there hundreds of thousands years ago. You can see chinese faces in them and some although they deny, have french blood in them.
The bottom line is I like them all. I like all asian food and I have never discriminated against asians by their ethnicities. It is their personality I chose rather to assoicate with them or not. I don’t like anymore hate or sterotypes toward other people. We are people and there are good and bad among any people of any race/ethnicities.
I agree with Mandy, no matter what you look like or where you come from we’re all people, and so should be treated on the basis of what we are like rather than what we look like!
i agree with yuki and manday. because we are all human created by God,so let us love one another whether china , japan,Latino/ thai and so on.I don’t see the lesson why we should be differentiators about our selfs
I always had sympathy for oriental women. I think they’re beautiful. I met my girlfriend thought she was from orient and i fell in love. I then discovered that as she was a descendant of Native Americans not oriental girl. I admire both the oriental culture that has always interested me. Religion, martial arts, music, movies, clothes etc.. My oldest son is three years learning Kung Fu. My ex wife is a judoka. It was funny because they told everyone that she was Oriental. We are here to comment on “Facial Structure Recognition”. But surely, we are all human created by God as “homealone” wrote above, we have to pass wisdom to enrich people and love is the best way!
Cheers.
So I am not the only one mistaken for being a latin girl. I am 100% chinese from hong kong cantonese living in New york and spanish people keep thinking I am half spanish speaking to me in spanish.
I think alot of hong kong people looks half latino for our natural genetic huge brown eyes, tall nose, full lips, high cheek bones, and narrow face. The hong kong people tends to have more tan skin tone(but not as tan as a real latino) compare to japanese and korea…so the spanish people think we have latin blood.
There aren’t too many hong kong people living in NEw york. Most chinese I know are from china. The mandarin speaking chinese girls are very pretty, 90% of them has big round eyes and pointy face, they are taller…you can tell they are chinese.
I agreed with Mina. Most Chinese have softer facial features than koreans, but I also find japanese from certain part of Japan looks like chinese girls cuz of their small oval face shape, big natural brown eyes, and pointing noses. I can tell koreans easily, but if they had plastic surgeries than I will mistake them as chinese, thai, vietnamese people. KOreans keep saying chinese get plastic surgeries is full of shit. The southern chinese have a high percentage of big eyes with double eyelids, small nose with tall nose bridges. I have not ever met or known any pretty chinese girls to had any surgeries. Ask a korean, than the chance is like over 90% in South korea. They will not be able to show you their childhood pictures cuz they are told to throw them away after plastic surgeries. If you ask most pretty chinese girls, they can show you pictures of themselves cuz they aren’t plastic. It is a big taboo in chinese culture to change one
s face, except for fixing birth defect, accident victims, or natural disaster victims need plastic surgeries.
I lived in los angeles and always have spanish people talking to me in spanish. I been told I pass as a latina. It is funny I am from hong hong and my ancestors are from canton, CHina. I It is not true that chinese typical have round faces. China is very large, and there are many chinese that don’t have round faces. I see more Japanese americans will round faces than chinese girls. Most korean girls have a typical korean faces, but I am sure that if I go to KOrea, than that opinion will change. But the problem is no one will know which korean had plastic surgeries. My korean friend told me that most of her relatives had plastic surgeries in korea. But she lives here and don’t feel that she need to do it. She said in Korea, beauty is everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Most get it from getting lots of plastic surgeries.
Im from a Romanian background, and yes I can tell the difference although one of the japanese women looks like shes had plastic surgery to make her eyes more ‘western’ a very common [sadly] procedure in japan.
South korean women are more into plastic surgeries than japanese women in Japan. It did started in Japan, but now the craziness in alternting facial features are koreans in korea.
Don’t look at nationmaster statistics cuz it is not accurate. As of to date only 16 out of over 1550 south korean plastic surgeons are registered with ISAPS to give plastic surgery statistics. Japan have 69 registered plastic surgeons with ISAPS to report plastic surgeries.
Today, you see over 90% of korean women between teenage years to 35 had plastic surgeries not just to alter their eye shape and size, but also they alter their facial bone structure. Many korean women have a very “V’ shaped chin and that is done using the so called korean jaw shaving and “V” Line plastic surgeries. They also slim their face down by breaking the cheek bone arch which can give them a slimer face by 1″. 1/2″ off both sides = 1″ total.
Wows. So much info on Asians…Chinese people have bigger lips…Japanese people have smaller eyes…Koreans have eye bags…and I am Asian and that’s my opinion on Asians…
About plastic surgery I guess, each person is satisfied as he can.
Looking out, i think that this is the result of early Westernization of cultural weakness.
The imposition of “white” from the “Scandinavian or Saxon” by the media weakens other cultures.
The oriental culture through movies, media in general is still very strong, I think it’s cool.
I love the oriental culture. Stay and endure to live.
Unfortunately the world gives up easily without thinking about it, but I think the levy is not a bias, despite causing it, the levy is to weaken other cultures. Perhaps to equate all culturally and not a danger to the white capitalist empire.
Especially those who oppose dangerously as the Orient and Middle Orient.Each day that passes we are losing our identity. Native Americans, native Africans, native Eastern, Indian, Arab countries. Just we are the majority brown, brunette, black, nightshade, Latins. We’re losing referrals.
Latinos have forgotten the past, like the Egyptians and many other people.
Then I think, plastic surgery is stupid if made to westernize.
The Orient is strong enough to hold itself together, something I find difficult …
1st. Have any of them had surgical face alterations?
2nd. Why aren’t all faces involved in this not facing forward?
3rd. Are they native or did somewhere down the line immigrated from another part of asia?
Good observation. They are all facing differently I guess to show the bone structure. I can tell koreans apart from other asian easily, but with so many koreans getting plastic sureries ,it is hard to tell. I am not sure, but there is a possibility that the Japanese girl had double eyelid surgery.
Interesting thread. Here is my 2 cents. I am Chinese American and have lived in the US for over 20 years. I also traveled and lived in several regions of China. So I can say I have seen many different groups of Asians first hand (instead of photos online).
I am in general agreement on your comments with Koreans. Fairly easy to identify. The average Japanese and the average Chinese are harder to tell apart, but the extremes of both are easily identified with specific features.
Now with Chinese, however, it is definitely a diverse group. Northern Chinese have flatter facial features. Although some pocket areas may also produce different looking people. Southern Chinese has to be further grouped. Southeastern coast are usually what the Chinese consider good looking people with more defined facial features. Southern provinces again looks different. People in HK is diverse, so can not categorize. Another place known for good looking people is the southwestern area.
In general, there is really no such thing as true Chinese. The Chinese is probably the most inclusive of peoples. If you are born to a Chinese father, you are Chinese. The mother’s ancestry does not matter. So although Han Chinese is over 90% of the population. The gene pool is extremely diverse. Also, several natural and man made disasters have cause mass migrations in the last 1000 years. So difficult to say where one is from also.
Agreed with the previous above me. The area where we called Japan, Korea, and china is filled with many different asian tribal groups, but Science reviewed that many asian migrated from mainland china. Back then there was no chinese, japanese, or korean. This is just used to place nationalim on those asian tribal groups that joined into each one of these nationalities. The chinese from southeast china and southweat china is the best looking in china. These very very soft features that aren’t from plastic surgeries. Any asian that had eyelid work, there will always be a scar. Mot of the time without makeup you can see up close the tiny fainted scar from eyelids surgery. As for tall nose bridges, fake nose bridge is different than real nose bridges. Ask a korean plastic surgeons. So those that lied better not let someone talk your nose or look at you up close without makeup. I read that many korean celebrities deny plastic surgeries, but their makeup aritist will review most had plastic surgeries done. Due to the fact they signed an agreement not to discuss who these celebrities are.
I was shocked to see that also so many japanese celebrities had plastic surgeries. I thought they are natural due to the Japanese islands consist of the native tribes called ainus.
and yes china people is diverse. But if you like refined featues go to southern part of china. And yes, hong kong have everyone there. North and south chinese. I noticed koreans eyes are very different than other asians. Without plastic surgeries i can identify a korean very easily. But with Japanese these days, It is harder. I read Southern Japanese island DNA have chinese DNA in them. And many of them can trace their roots to be people from what is called china today.
Anyway, the what really matter is that we can all get along and should looks be all that important???? Beauty can be purchased from a very skilled plastic surgeon whereas wonderful personalities & kind hearted people made of of gold can never be purchased at any price.
Bottom line is I love all asian people.
I am not Asian by any means; however, I am frequently asked if I am Korean, Chinese, and I have even been asked if I am Phillipino. Is there any explanation as to why people may mistake me for being Asian?
hmm… i’m 25% japanese, 50% south korean & 25% chinese but i’ve got a small oval face, medium size nose and large eyes that are somewhere in beteen a double & a single eyelid (like, they’ve got a double hidden under a single, sort of.)… and these days there ARE some girls my age (16) in korea that havnt had plastic surgery but got vlines, big eyes, noses that arent flat and narrow faces. and my japanese friend told me that a lotta women in japan get surgery, too, to get small faces.. they even come to korea a lot if theres a famous doctor
a lotta the korean and japanese who got plastic surgery, its sorta easy to tell when u look at how natural the fold over their eye is lol
To Daie,
what do you mean “a lotta the korean and japanese who got plastic surgery, its sorta easy to tell when u look at how natural the fold over their eye is lol?????????
Are you saying that Japanese and koreans double eyelid surgery does not look natural???? It used to be that way cuz I met several korean women and you can tell it is so unnatural looking, but since 10 years ago some korean plastic surgeon can do have good double eyelids that look very natural to me. But again I also read that not all korean or japanese plastic surgeons are good. The good ones have lots of experience and probably have talented and have gook artistic skills. Surgery is a form of art. Anyway it great that you are chinese, japanese , and korean. My sister know of someone who had kids that are 50% korean (the children dad is korean) and the mother is 1/2 chinese and 1/2 japanese. I saw a picture of her .She is so beautiful. Although she past as a mix breed like she is 50% hispanic. She is 5′ 6″ tall. Very pretty smile and very good bone facial and body bone structure too.
I am Korean and I know that Koreans cheekbones are higher then other Asians, Almost all Koreans eyes are not the same as one is slightly more rounded then the other.
what are the difference between skin structure and skin face structure?
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS IN ALL THE ASIANS. I WAS BORN TO A AMERICAN WOMAN AND A JAPANESE MAN. I AM 1/2 JAPANESE,1/4 GERMAN AND 1/4 IRISH. ALL MIXED UP . BEING NOT WANTED I WAS TOSSED ALLOT FOR FAMILY TO FAMILY WITH MUCH CONFUSION IN MY TRUE BEING. I NEVER KNEW MY BIRTH MOTHER OR FATHER . I WAS BORN A HOME IN AMERICA AND NOT IN A HOSPITAL. I WAS ALWAYS MADE FUN OF MOST OF MY LIFE . THE ODD BALL AND CALLED EVERY NAME IN THE BOOK. AS I GREW OLDER I WAS LOOKED AT DIFFERENTLY. I WAS STARED AT ALLOT AND ASK WHAT I WAS. I GREW TIRED OF THIS AND NOW I JUST SAY I AM A AMERICAN WOMAN. I AM 48 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN ALONE MOST OF MY LIFE. I STILL HAVE A FEELING OF A MISSED UP BEING. BUT HERE I AM. I AM ALL ALONE NO FAMILY BEEN ON MY OWN SINCE 16 YEARS OLD.
I WILL TAKE ANY INPUT OR COMMENTS .
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME EXPRESS MYSELF!
Hi, You are special. You must not think of youself as not being wanted. There maybe circumstances that your birth mom couldn’t keep you. I am chinese and people always guess what I am too. People had thought I am native american indian, 1/2 mexican & 1/2 japanese, 1/2 asian of some kind & 1/2 white, thai, vietnamese, japanese, korean, filipina, hawaiian, mixed with hawaiian & white, spanish mixwed with asian, latina, etc.
In 1998, biggest seattle newspaper printed 1 out of 4 brith in seattle and surrounding area are of mixed races. When you were born, it was way less and most likely not as acceptable as starting in the 70′s. In the early 60′s, chinese and japanese were not treated as that nicely specially in the white neighborhood. I remember being called a jap or chink. There were too many koreans in my area, but I also read that they were called japa and chinks cuz there is wasn’t as much as them as the chinese and japanese people. Whites told me koreans and filipinos are gooks. In the 80′s when massive refugees come from southeast asia, the vietnamese, cambodians, and loatians were very disliked by other asians and whties. They were named either viets, viet cons, swamp gook monkeys, dog eaters, etc. Anyway you should be proud of what you are. Your japansee 1/2 make you special. Don’t let anyone make you feel less. If they do ,then they are the one with inferior complex.
I agree.. I alway get asked “what are you?” to this day still I’m African American, Native american, Scottish and Irish I think to myself why do people want to know so bad?