Japanese Body Parts: 35+ Essential Words With Kanji, Pronunciation, and Medical Phrases
Quick Answer
The most important Japanese body parts to learn first are '頭 / あたま' (atama -- head), '手 / て' (te -- hand), '足 / あし' (ashi -- foot/leg), and '心臓 / しんぞう' (shinzou -- heart). Japanese body vocabulary uses kanji characters that often appear in compound words, making these among the most productive characters to memorize.
Why Learn Body Parts in Japanese?
Knowing body parts in Japanese is essential for medical situations, reading kanji compound words, and understanding the rich idiomatic expressions that define everyday Japanese conversation. According to The Japan Foundation's 2024 survey, Japanese is studied by approximately 3.8 million people worldwide, and body vocabulary consistently ranks among the most practical word sets in standardized curricula.
Japanese body vocabulary has a distinct advantage for learners: it uses no grammatical gender, no articles, and no plural forms. The word 手 (te, hand) works whether you mean one hand or both. However, Japanese body parts are written in kanji characters that serve as building blocks for hundreds of compound words. The kanji 目 (me, eye) appears in 目的 (mokuteki, purpose), 目立つ (medatsu, to stand out), and 科目 (kamoku, subject/course). Learning body kanji is an investment that pays dividends across your entire Japanese vocabulary.
"Body-part kanji represent one of the most productive semantic categories in Japanese compound word formation. A student who masters the 20 most common body-part characters gains access to over 200 commonly used compound words."
(Haruhiko Kindaichi & Yasutaka Ikeda, Japanese Linguistics: An Introduction, Routledge, 2020)
This guide covers 35+ body parts organized by region, with kanji, hiragana, romaji pronunciation, medical phrases, and idioms. For interactive practice with authentic Japanese content, visit our Japanese learning page.
Head and Face
The head and face vocabulary in Japanese includes some of the most frequently used kanji in the language. Many of these characters appear constantly in compound words beyond body-part meanings.
💡 鼻 (Hana): Nose or Flower?
The word hana has two common meanings with different kanji: 鼻 (nose) and 花 (flower). In spoken Japanese, context always clarifies which one is meant. This homophone creates opportunities for wordplay in Japanese humor and poetry. The kanji themselves are entirely different, so there is no confusion in writing.
Key Medical Phrases for Head and Face
Japanese medical phrases use the adjective 痛い (itai, painful/hurting) as the primary way to describe pain:
- 頭が痛い / あたまがいたい (atama ga itai): "My head hurts"
- 目が痛い / めがいたい (me ga itai): "My eyes hurt"
- 歯が痛い / はがいたい (ha ga itai): "My tooth hurts"
- 鼻血が出ている / はなぢがでている (hanaji ga dete iru): "My nose is bleeding"
The basic pattern is simple: body part + が (ga, subject marker) + 痛い (itai, painful). For polite situations, add です (desu): 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu). At a hospital, you might say 頭痛がします (zutsuu ga shimasu, I have a headache), using the Sino-Japanese compound 頭痛 (zutsuu, head-pain).
Upper Body and Torso
Upper body vocabulary in Japanese includes several words that are essential for medical communication and daily conversation.
🌍 肩こり (Katakori): A Uniquely Japanese Concept
肩こり (katakori, stiff shoulders) is so culturally significant in Japan that some linguists argue the concept exists partly because the word exists. Before the modern era, Japanese people reportedly did not complain about stiff shoulders as a distinct ailment until the word became widespread. Today, it is one of the most common health complaints in Japan, and you will see shoulder massage tools, patches, and remedies everywhere. Asking someone if they have katakori is a natural conversation topic.
Medical Phrases for the Upper Body
- 背中が痛い / せなかがいたい (senaka ga itai): "My back hurts"
- お腹が痛い / おなかがいたい (onaka ga itai): "My stomach hurts"
- 胸が痛い / むねがいたい (mune ga itai): "My chest hurts" (seek immediate help)
- 吐き気がする / はきけがする (hakike ga suru): "I feel nauseous"
- 肩が凝っている / かたがこっている (kata ga kotte iru): "My shoulders are stiff"
Arms and Hands
Japanese arm and hand vocabulary is straightforward. The word 手 (te, hand) is one of the most productive characters in Japanese, forming the base of dozens of compound words and idioms.
💡 手 (Te): Japan's Most Productive Body Kanji
The kanji 手 (hand) generates an enormous number of compounds: 手紙 (tegami, letter, literally "hand paper"), 手伝う (tetsudau, to help), 上手 (jouzu, skillful), 下手 (heta, unskillful), 手術 (shujutsu, surgery), 選手 (senshu, athlete). Learning this single kanji connects you to dozens of everyday words.
Body Part Idioms: Arms and Hands
Japanese hand idioms are used constantly in conversation:
- 手を抜く / てをぬく (te wo nuku, to pull out hands): to cut corners, to slack off
- 腕を磨く / うでをみがく (ude wo migaku, to polish the arm): to hone one's skills
- 手が早い / てがはやい (te ga hayai, hands are fast): to be quick to act (or quick to hit)
- 手に負えない / てにおえない (te ni oenai, cannot load on hands): to be beyond one's ability to handle
- 手を焼く / てをやく (te wo yaku, to burn one's hands): to have a hard time dealing with something
Lower Body and Legs
Japanese lower body vocabulary features an important distinction: 足 (ashi) can mean either "foot" or "leg" in casual usage, while formal and medical Japanese uses 脚 (ashi, with a different kanji) specifically for the leg.
Lower Body Idioms
- 足を引っ張る / あしをひっぱる (ashi wo hipparu, to pull someone's leg/foot): to hold someone back, to drag someone down
- 足が棒になる / あしがぼうになる (ashi ga bou ni naru, legs become sticks): to have exhausted, aching legs from walking
- 膝を打つ / ひざをうつ (hiza wo utsu, to slap the knee): to have a eureka moment, to be struck by a realization
- 足元を見る / あしもとをみる (ashimoto wo miru, to look at someone's feet): to take advantage of someone's weakness
🌍 正座 (Seiza): The Japanese Art of Sitting on Your Knees
Japanese culture has a specific sitting posture called 正座 (seiza, "correct sitting") where you kneel with your legs folded underneath you. This posture is used in tea ceremonies, formal settings, traditional restaurants, and some martial arts. It involves the 膝 (hiza, knees), 足 (ashi, feet), and すね (sune, shins) working together. Many Japanese people experience numbness (しびれる / shibire-ru) from sitting in seiza for extended periods, and this is a common conversation topic.
Internal Organs
Internal organ vocabulary in Japanese uses mostly Sino-Japanese compound words (words built from Chinese-origin kanji). These same kanji appear in medical terminology throughout Japanese healthcare.
Essential Medical Phrases With Organs
- 心臓がどきどきする / しんぞうがどきどきする (shinzou ga dokidoki suru): "My heart is pounding" (どきどき is onomatopoeia for heartbeat)
- 骨を折った / ほねをおった (hone wo otta): "I broke a bone"
- 肌が荒れている / はだがあれている (hada ga arete iru): "My skin is rough/irritated"
- 血が出ている / ちがでている (chi ga dete iru): "I'm bleeding"
💡 心 (Kokoro) vs. 心臓 (Shinzou): Mind vs. Organ
Japanese carefully distinguishes between the physical heart and the emotional heart. 心臓 (shinzou) is the organ that pumps blood. 心 (kokoro) is the mind, spirit, and emotional center. When someone says 心が痛い (kokoro ga itai), they mean emotional pain, not cardiac pain. In a medical emergency, always use 心臓 to avoid confusion.
The 痛い (Itai) Pattern: Expressing Pain in Japanese
The basic pattern for describing physical pain in Japanese is straightforward:
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| My head hurts | 頭が痛い | atama ga itai | body part + が + 痛い |
| My stomach hurts | お腹が痛い | onaka ga itai | body part + が + 痛い |
| Does your back hurt? | 背中が痛いですか？ | senaka ga itai desu ka? | body part + が + 痛いですか |
| My legs hurt | 足が痛い | ashi ga itai | body part + が + 痛い |
For more specific descriptions, compound nouns are used: 頭痛 (zutsuu, headache), 腹痛 (fukutsuu, stomachache), 腰痛 (youtsuu, lower back pain), 歯痛 (shitsuu, toothache). These formal compounds use the on'yomi (Chinese reading) of each kanji.
Body Part Idioms Native Speakers Actually Use
Japanese conversation is filled with body-part idioms. The Agency for Cultural Affairs notes that idiomatic competence is a key marker of fluency in Japanese. You will encounter these expressions constantly in Japanese movies and anime:
- 目が高い / めがたかい (me ga takai, eyes are high): to have discerning taste, a good eye for quality
- 顔が広い / かおがひろい (kao ga hiroi, face is wide): to be well-connected, to know many people
- 腹が立つ / はらがたつ (hara ga tatsu, belly stands up): to get angry
- 鼻が高い / はながたかい (hana ga takai, nose is high): to be proud (can be positive or negative)
- 口が堅い / くちがかたい (kuchi ga katai, mouth is hard): to be tight-lipped, to keep secrets well
- 耳が痛い / みみがいたい (mimi ga itai, ears hurt): to be told something you do not want to hear (a hard truth)
- 骨が折れる / ほねがおれる (hone ga oreru, bones break): to be exhausting, hard work
"The Japanese language contains over 500 documented idiomatic expressions built on body-part nouns, with 目 (eye), 手 (hand), and 口 (mouth) being the three most productive bases for metaphorical extension."
(Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan, Japanese Language Education Reference Standards, 2024)
Practice Body Parts With Real Japanese Content
Learning vocabulary from structured tables provides the essential foundation, but hearing and reading these words in authentic Japanese content is what makes them permanent. Japanese anime, dramas, and films are full of body-part vocabulary, from medical scenes to fight sequences to everyday conversation.
Wordy lets you watch Japanese content with interactive subtitles. Tap any body-part word to see its kanji, readings, pronunciation, and meaning in context. Instead of just memorizing from lists, you absorb 頭, 手, and 足 naturally, the way native speakers encounter them.
Explore our blog for more Japanese guides, or check out the best movies to learn Japanese for viewing recommendations that bring this vocabulary to life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common body parts in Japanese?
How do you say 'my head hurts' in Japanese?
What is the difference between 足 (ashi) and 脚 (ashi) in Japanese?
How do you describe symptoms to a Japanese doctor?
What are some Japanese idioms that use body parts?
Why are body part kanji important beyond vocabulary?
Sources & References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan — Japanese Language Education Reference Standards (2024)
- The Japan Foundation — Survey Report on Japanese-Language Education Abroad (2024)
- Ethnologue: Languages of the World — Japanese language entry (2024)
- Kindaichi, H. & Ikeda, Y. (2020). Japanese Linguistics: An Introduction. Routledge.
- World Health Organization — Multilingual Health Phrase Guide (2023)
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