Nuances in the word "smile"


So as the title indicates, I'm wondering about exactly what is the difference
between all the existing words that mean "smile", I originally learned only
笑い, which I feel is the most regularly used one (although it can also means a
laugh), but as I'm learning I started coming across at least ten other word
that are all translated in english as smile, and so I wondered where exactly
was the difference. These are the following words I've encountered (besides
warai) :

  * 笑み 
  * 笑顔 
  * 微笑み 
  * 微笑
  * にっこり 
  * 一笑




They are, in Japanese term, all subcategories of 笑い, the widest word that
covers both loud _laugh_ ( _giggle_ , _chuckle_ etc.) and silent _smile_ (
_grin_ , _smirk_ , _simper_ etc.)

**笑み/笑顔**

The two words are related to every kind of silent happy face (abovementioned).
笑み is the action itself (< verb 笑む), but is a bookish word that hardly appears
in conversation. 笑顔 is more popularly used one that refers to the face (or
expression), and we usually call making smile 笑顔を作る.

**微笑【ほほえ】み/微笑【びしょう】**

Literally "dim happy face", may be the most exact words correspond to English
_smile_. However, these are a bit more nuanced than the English counterpart
where they're associated with affection, dearness or benevolence, that don't
fit every situation we could use _smile_. The most typical usage would be
天使の微笑み "angel's smile".

微笑【びしょう】 is the Sino-Japanese synonym of 微笑【ほほえ】み, thus sounds loftier. Note
that the last okurigana of 微笑み isn't obligatory, so sometimes you'll see 微笑 is
read ほほえみ too.

**一笑**

This is somewhat an odd one out, and has most limited range of usage. It has
two meanings: _making a friendly happy face lightly/briefly_ as in 破顔一笑
"(break into) a broad smile"; and _laugh something down/off_ as in 一笑に付す. Both
are often seen in literary works.

**にっこり**

This is a mimetic word depicts such a sunny smile:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/juk06.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/juk06.png)

for this kind of evil smile, we use **にやにや** or **にやける** (verb), which is
frequently heard in anime when girls rebuke guys that have dirty mind.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZE0pT.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ZE0pT.png)

and for big grin, we prefer **にんまり**.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1NmHY.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1NmHY.jpg)

* * *

**BONUS**  
We also use English loanword **スマイル** , usually for the cheerful smile or grin
which Americans are particularly good at.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/t6ziD.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/t6ziD.jpg)

(for illustrative purposes only)

