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Meaning

love is blind

When you are in love with someone, even their faults look like good points. A figure for how partiality makes any flaw look attractive.

Example

惚れた相手の遅刻癖まで愛嬌に見えるのだから、痘痕も靨だ。

When even the habit of showing up late looks charming in the one you love, love really is blind.

Origin

Abata (痘痕) are the pits left in the skin after recovering from smallpox, and ekubo (靨) are the dimples that form in the cheeks when smiling. The earliest known use is in the sharebon Igagoe Zōho Kappa no Tatsu (1779). Because the phrase carries the irony that the faults only look good, saying it to the couple themselves can give offense.

Sources