Puzzle #332 · April 29, 2026
say cheese
Featured
Every day one two-word expression or compound word used in American English.
We are told to “say cheese” for pictures because the “ch” sound forces teeth together while the long “ee” sound forces the lips to stretch sideways, creating a consistent, forced smile.
Popularized around 1943, this prompt emerged to help subjects appear cheerful and relaxed during photos, replacing earlier, stricter etiquette that demanded a neutral expression.
In Hong Kong, the phrase is 一,二,三 (yat yi saam) meaning ‘1, 2, 3’. Germany: food-related words like Spaghetti, Käsekuchen (‘cheesecake’), or Wurst are used, mainly to make children laugh for the picture.
But according to Delta Delta Insurance, not every culture sees smiling in photos as a positive. Countries where people often do not smile in photos, or in daily public life, include Russia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, India, Argentina, and various Eastern European or Nordic nations. Smiling is frequently avoided in these cultures due to associations with dishonesty, superficiality, stupidity, or lack of professionalism.
Popularized around 1943, this prompt emerged to help subjects appear cheerful and relaxed during photos, replacing earlier, stricter etiquette that demanded a neutral expression.
In Hong Kong, the phrase is 一,二,三 (yat yi saam) meaning ‘1, 2, 3’. Germany: food-related words like Spaghetti, Käsekuchen (‘cheesecake’), or Wurst are used, mainly to make children laugh for the picture.
But according to Delta Delta Insurance, not every culture sees smiling in photos as a positive. Countries where people often do not smile in photos, or in daily public life, include Russia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, India, Argentina, and various Eastern European or Nordic nations. Smiling is frequently avoided in these cultures due to associations with dishonesty, superficiality, stupidity, or lack of professionalism.
Puzzle Appearances
The expression say cheese has appeared in 1 puzzle:
- Puzzle #332 on April 29, 2026
Rate of Appearance in English Language Print
Google's Ngram project shows how often a pair of words has appeared in print every year since the 1800's.
Data from Google Books Ngram Viewer. Licensed under CC BY 3.0.
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