微笑
びしょう · bishou · JLPT N1 · noun
smile
微 (slight) + 笑 (smile): a slight smile, bishou, is the gentle curve of the lips.
Compound: 微 means slight or tiny, 笑 means smile. Together they name a subtle, gentle smile rather than a big laugh.
笑 — bamboo radical 竹 (⺮) + 夭 (yāo, bending)
Originally written with the bamboo radical over 夭, depicting a person bending or swaying. One traditional reading is that bamboo bends in the wind like a person doubling over with laughter. The character has meant 'laugh, smile' since early times, with no major shift in meaning.