Before we dive into what different mole positions mean for character and fortune, there's something important to know: moles broadly fall into two categories — "living moles" and "dead moles." A living mole has good colour, deep true black, and a well-rounded shape. A dead mole, by contrast, has little colour (a pale, tea-brown tone) and an irregular, uneven shape.

As a rule, living moles indicate good fortune, while dead moles indicate more challenging fortune — and the meaning of a mole at the same location can shift depending on which type it is. That said, a dead mole doesn't necessarily point to an unavoidable fate. It's simply energy from within you trying to send a message, so it's best to take it forward as a friendly warning to help you dodge trouble.

We'll introduce representative meanings by body part.

☾Moles on the Face

The face is probably the part most people check first, and facial moles are likely the ones you notice most easily. Moles on the face tend to carry meanings connected to relationships and bonds with others. Below, we introduce the meaning of moles by facial feature.

① Tenchū — beside the inner corners of the eyebrows, near the hairline

As you work toward your goals and dreams, you'll find it easy to receive support from those around you. Your relationship with your mother may not have been great in childhood, but you can turn that into resilience by working through it and coming out the other side.

Living mole: you gain the help of a reliable ally at crucial moments.

Dead mole: you may fail to receive help from mentors, superiors, or those above you. It's good to make a habit of showing respect to your seniors day to day.

② Tentei — above the eyebrows, between the forehead and the crown

You're said to be blessed with an invisible bond to your ancestors, and to excel at foreseeing the unexpected before it happens.

Living mole: you're often blessed with unexpected good fortune.

Dead mole: you may end up choosing a partner who lacks vitality. To avoid becoming too absorbed in your own thinking, it's a good idea to consult someone you trust when sizing up a potential partner.

③ Shiku — the centre of the forehead

You have a strong, distinctive personality, and because of that you tend to crave change over stability. Whether at work or in love, you may not settle for the status quo and instead keep switching workplaces or partners. When that strong individuality works in your favour, it can also bring good fortune in career advancement and money.

Living mole: people appreciate your individuality, so you tend to be well-liked.

Dead mole: you tend to run into a lot of interpersonal trouble. If you're not the type to back down easily, try adjusting your approach to fit the other person depending on the situation — that can help you avoid conflict.

④ Indō — between the eyebrows

You're blessed with strong fortune and said to often achieve great success in society. You're very sharp-witted, capable of seeing far ahead instead of getting stuck on what's right in front of you. On the other hand, your moods and tension levels can be uneven, so you may experience sharp swings between poor focus and intense drive.

Living mole: your naturally strong fortune gets an extra boost, bringing an extended run of excellent luck throughout life.

Dead mole: relying too heavily on your strong fortune without putting in effort can lead to major setbacks. Don't get complacent about the luck you've been dealt — keep making your own effort too.

⑤ Senikyū — above the eyebrows, near the hairline

You have a way of experiencing many different kinds of movement in life — compared to others, you're prone to more relocations, business trips, transfers, and travel. Even if that's not something you actively seek out, it tends to work out fortunately in the end. Since you prefer keeping active over staying settled in one place, your social circle and friendships naturally expand.

Living mole: you're said to have a fated connection to romance found while travelling or on a work trip.

Dead mole: you tend to run into accidents while moving or at your destination. Try to stay alert in unfamiliar places rather than getting swept up in the excitement of a new environment.

⑥ Kanmon — above the eyebrow tail, near the temple

You're blessed with good friendships and are an extremely charming person. You tend to have many good encounters, and your romantic partners rarely walk out on you, leading to a life where relationships stay intact.

Living mole: you can expect good connections to bring you an ideal partner.

Dead mole: there's a risk that a relationship that started passionately will change over time. Because you're the charming type who can turn heads even after marriage, be mindful of your behaviour once you've found the person you've truly decided on, so as not to be misunderstood.

⑦ Fukutoku — directly above the eyebrow tail

You're said to have extremely strong financial fortune and virtue. That said, you're not especially skilled at saving — money tends to come in and circulate back out again, more of a "money flows through you" type than a hoarder.

Living mole: even when money goes out, it rarely leaves you with nothing.

Dead mole: heavy spending may leave you struggling with money. Pay attention to the balance of money coming in and going out, and use it according to a plan.

✦Moles Around the Eyes

① Denpaku — between the eyebrow and the eye

Inheriting property is said to bring an affluent life. Because you can keep inherited assets from being drastically depleted, your future tends to stay stable.

Living mole: you're said to pass down inherited assets all the way to your children and grandchildren.

Dead mole: you may run into trouble over inheritance, or use inherited assets carelessly and end up depleting them entirely. Try to keep good relationships with relatives day to day, and decide on a clear plan for how to use any inheritance before you spend it.

② Fūfuza — near the outer corner of the eye

You're blessed with an ideal partner and are said to spend your years in marital harmony as you grow older together.

Living mole: on top of a fateful encounter, you tend to get along easily with a partner who has the support of those around you.

Dead mole: because both you and your partner are prone to temptation, you may find yourself caught in a love triangle. Think carefully about who really matters most to you.

③ Danjokyū / Rudō — under the eye, on the tear-trough

You're someone rich in emotion, with a strong capacity for feeling. This is a mole tied to fortune in love, marriage, and children — the classic "tear mole" image, and it's said to reflect a strong desire for love. If it sits closer to the inner corner, you tend to be the one who actively pursues romance; if it sits closer to the outer corner, you tend to be pursued more often.

Living mole: that richness of emotion means your care for others comes back to help you in a crisis of your own.

Dead mole: there's a chance your feelings get drawn toward someone other than your partner. Rather than being swept along purely by emotion, it's important to be able to pause and judge calmly when needed.

④ Namida-bokuro — just below the outer corner of the eye

Like Danjokyū/Rudō, this is often called a "tear mole." It's said to belong to people who are deeply charming and full of passion. Because you're proactive and full of vitality when it comes to romance, you also tend to have plenty of chances for a wonderful encounter.

Living mole: you're said to be blessed with fortune for having children.

Dead mole: there's a chance of being taken advantage of by a less-than-good partner, so be careful to choose whoever you're with wisely.

⑤ Sai-in / Gyobi — just beside the outer corner of the eye

Like the moles above, this often marks people prone to being called "the crying-mole type." A relationship rich in passion means you tend to have more chances for a wonderful encounter.

Living mole: you're said to be blessed with fortune for having children.

Dead mole: you may run the risk of getting talked into something by a partner who isn't good for you, so choose whoever you're with carefully.

♡Moles on the Mouth

Saihizū / Gyobi — just beside the corner of the mouth

This marks people who tend to suffer more in matters of love.

Living mole: not only is it not hard to avoid or overcome that trouble, the experience itself will help you grow.

Dead mole: keep communication with your partner a priority and make an effort to reduce misunderstandings.

✧Moles on the Hands

When reading the meaning of a mole on the hand, keep in mind that the left hand represents fortune from birth, and the right hand represents fortune shaped later in life. The same principle applies in palmistry.

A mole appearing on the base of the thumb is sometimes called a "utensil-mole" — those who have it are often said to find fine, meticulous work no trouble at all. This dexterity also shows up in the mind, and is put to good use in building solid relationships.

From here, we'll look at the meaning of moles by finger, on the palm side. Note that this refers to moles found along the line that extends from a naturally outstretched finger down to the wrist.

Left thumb

You're full of vitality and have an extremely proactive nature. You're said to have been born with a strong drive to improve yourself, and you can put in tireless effort to reach your goals. Compared to working alone, your natural drive is sparked further in situations where you compete or go head-to-head with others — such as in wins and losses — so you can expect performance beyond even your own expectations.

You also tend to pursue romance actively, though you may get so eager that you push too hard without noticing the other person's reaction. Learning to pause and calmly observe the situation will help you build better relationships.

Left index finger

You're said to excel at reading other people's feelings. You can naturally pick up on the nuance behind what someone says, so you tend to leave people with the impression, "this person really understands me." Because of that, you can shine as a leader who brings people together at work, and you're also equipped to support a team from the number-two position — coordinating everyone's opinions to help the top performer succeed.

Left middle finger

You're said to be able to lead a calm life without major upheavals. In particular, you're blessed with strong family fortune, and can build a happy, contented household both in childhood and after marriage. Being "calm" doesn't mean a long life will have no trouble at all — but even when trouble does arise, you have the ability to keep it to a minimum by staying composed rather than getting rattled.

Left ring finger

It's said that marriage will steer your fortune in a favourable direction. Even someone whose luck hadn't been great up to that point will find things turning for the better across the board — work, relationships, and more — once marriage acts as the trigger.

A mole in this position is also nicknamed a "popularity mole" — you naturally carry an alluring aura that attracts the opposite sex, so you tend to have plenty of romantic opportunities.

Left little finger

This marks people blessed with fortune for having children. Your relationship with children is good, and an affectionate parent-child bond continues for a lifetime. You have a strong desire to raise a family and tend to feel more joy than hardship in it. Even without children of your own, you tend to have plenty to do with children and are naturally liked by them.

Right thumb

You're said to have an extremely tenacious, mentally strong nature that pushes forward without giving up no matter the difficulty. Rather than simply working hard toward a goal, you could be described as someone equipped with the raw material to achieve success through your own strength. In love, you also tend to approach things proactively — but you're equipped with the versatility to objectively assess your partner's situation and adapt to the moment as needed.

Right index finger

You're said to display strong leadership and are able to take the lead and pull others along. You also excel at reading the feelings of colleagues and subordinates. Because of that, rather than leaning on a one-sided, top-down style of instruction, communicating from an objective standpoint becomes one of your strengths. The same applies at home — you're skilled at reading your family's mood, allowing you to build an easygoing, harmonious environment.

Right middle finger

You excel at problem-solving in life. You draw on past experience to work out ways of handling trouble that pops up suddenly at school, work, or home. What's more, rather than only reacting after the fact, you've also developed a nose for sensing trouble ahead of time — often nipping problems in the bud or avoiding them altogether.

Right ring finger

As with the left hand, this shows that good fortune is approaching in love and marriage. Even if you hadn't been especially interested in romance or marriage up to now, becoming consciously aware of it will set your fortune moving in a favourable direction.

If a mole appears around here, or if a mole you already had in this spot deepens in colour, it's a sign that a fateful encounter is drawing near.

Right little finger

Through relationships with others, you develop excellent communication skills. You're also said to have a high chance of being blessed with fortune for having children.

Because you're able to convey your own thoughts to others clearly, friction in relationships is almost non-existent.

⚖Moles on the Body

Collarbone

Said to indicate strong fortune with people. Rich in a charm that draws others in, you're skilled at socialising — including in romance — and can build good relationships. You're also blessed with sociability, so your network of contacts keeps expanding.

Chest

Good proportions carry a charm that draws people in, enriching your relationships with others.

Upper arms

You're skilled at connecting with people, and are said to have high popularity. You're often trusted by others, though you can also lean toward being a bit of a social butterfly — so it's good to calmly gauge appropriate distance.

Waist

Rich in emotion, you're a straightforward person whose joy, anger, sorrow, and delight show plainly on your face. Because you're honest and have nothing hidden, people tend to trust you readily.

☀In Summary

We've introduced the meanings held by a variety of moles here, but this is still only a small part of the picture. If this has piqued your interest, we hope you'll explore the deep and fascinating world of mole reading a little further.

One last thing worth sharing: even if you find a "dead mole" in a spot you're worried about, there's no need to feel more pessimistic than necessary. A mole's position is, at most, a single message — and if that message isn't a particularly welcome one, treat it as helpful advice for avoiding or improving the situation. A mole doesn't determine your life or your destiny. If it bothers you no matter what, using makeup to conceal it is also a perfectly valid option. Conversely, drawing on a mole to match the fortune you're hoping for can also help draw good fortune your way.

Put mole reading to use in making your life even better.