8.3. Body parts

8.3.1. Head


Kana:(a)(ta)(ma)
Romanization:atama
Meaning:head

Kana:(ka)(o)
Romanization:kao
Meaning:face

Kana:(me)
Romanization:me
Meaning:eye

For your interest: In Japanese culture, the eyes are the most important part of the face. Japanese has many proverbs about eyes, and one of them says "the eye talks as much as the mouth does", which means you can express and read emotions through eyes. This is one reason why eyes of Japanese manga and animation characters are exaggerated.

Kana:(ha)(na)
Romanization:hana
Meaning:nose

For your interest: The nose is the least important part of the face in Japanese culture.

Kana:(ku)(ti)
Romanization:kuti
Meaning:mouth

Kana:(ku)(ti)(bi)(ru)
Romanization:kutibiru
Meaning:lips

Kana:(ha)
Romanization:ha
Meaning:tooth

Kana:(si)(ta)
Romanization:sita
Meaning:tongue

Note: In colloquial Japanese, the word (be)(ro) "bero" is more commonly used for tongue.

Kana:(mi)(mi)
Romanization:mimi
Meaning:ear

Kana:(ho)(o)
Romanization:hô
Meaning:cheek

Kana:(hi)(ta)(i)
Romanization:hitai
Meaning:forehead

Note: In colloquial Japanese, the word (o)(de)(ko) "odeko" is more commonly used for forehead.

Kana:(ku)(bi)
Romanization:kubi
Meaning:neck

For your interest: This word also means firing a person. It comes from decapitation as a metaphor of dismissal.

Kana:(no)(do)
Romanization:nodo
Meaning:throat

Kana:(a)(go)
Romanization:ago
Meaning:tin

Kana:(ka)(mi)(no)(ke)
Romanization:kaminoke
Meaning:hair (on the head)

Note: The word (ka)(mi) "kami" means hair on the head, but the word above is more clear because (ka)(mi) also means paper. They just happen to share the same pronunciation. (no) "no" is the genitive marker and (ke) "ke" means hair (not necessarily on the head).

Kana:(ma)(yu)(ge)
Romanization:mayuge
Meaning:eyebrow

Note: The word (ma)(yu) "mayu" also means eyebrow. (ge) "ge" is a suffix form of (ke) "ke", which means hair.

Kana:(ma)(tu)(ge)
Romanization:matuge
Meaning:eyelash

Kana:(hi)(ge)
Romanization:hige
Meaning:mustache, beard

8.3.2. Hand


Kana:(te)
Romanization:te
Meaning:hand

Kana:(te)(no)(hi)(ra)
Romanization:tenohira
Meaning:palm

Note: This word consists of three parts: (te) (hand), the genitive marker (no), and (hi)(ra) "hira" (flat surface).

Kana:(te)(no)(ko)(u)
Romanization:tenokô
Meaning:the back of a hand

Note: This word consists of three parts: (te) (hand), the genitive marker (no), and (ko)(u) "kô" (tortoise shell).

Kana:(yu)(bi)
Romanization:yubi
Meaning:digit (finger, toe)

Note: This word includes twenty digits - ten fingers and ten toes.

Kana:(o)(ya)(yu)(bi)
Romanization:oyayubi
Meaning:thumb, big toe

Note: The word (o)(ya) "oya" means parent, so it literally means parent finger.

Kana:(hi)(to)(sa)(si)(yu)(bi)
Romanization:hitosasiyubi
Meaning:index finger, second toe

Note: This word comes from (hi)(to) "hito" (person), (sa)(si) "sasi" (the noun form of the verb (sa)(su) "sasu", which means point), and (yu)(bi) (finger), so its literal meaning is person-pointing finger.

Kana:(na)(ka)(yu)(bi)
Romanization:nakayubi
Meaning:middle finger

Note: Since the word (na)(ka) "naka" means middle, this word is exactly the same as middle finger.

Kana:(ku)(su)(ri)(yu)(bi)
Romanization:kusuriyubi
Meaning:ring finger

Note: The word (ku)(su)(ri) "kusuri" means medicine, and this word literally means medicine finger. The ring finger often has a strange name in many languages, such as ring finger in English and "wúmíngzhî" in Mandarin, which literally means nameless finger. Those names are probably related; ancient people thought the ring finger was a magic finger.

Kana:(ko)(yu)(bi)
Romanization:koyubi
Meaning:little finger

Note: The prefix (ko) "ko" means little, so it is the same as little finger.

Kana:(tu)(me)
Romanization:tume
Meaning:nail

8.3.3. Other body parts


Kana:(ka)(ta)
Romanization:kata
Meaning:shoulder

Kana:(u)(de)
Romanization:ude
Meaning:arm

Kana:(hi)(zi)
Romanization:hizi
Meaning:elbow

Kana:(te)(ku)(bi)
Romanization:tekubi
Meaning:wrist

Note: This word is a combination of (te) (hand) and (ku)(bi) (neck).

Kana:(a)(si)
Romanization:asi
Meaning:leg, foot

Kana:(hi)(za)
Romanization:hiza
Meaning:knee

Kana:(a)(si)(ku)(bi)
Romanization:asikubi
Meaning:ankle

Note: This word is a combination of (a)(si) (foot) and (ku)(bi) (neck).

Kana:(mu)(ne)
Romanization:mune
Meaning:chest, breast

Kana:(o)(na)(ka)
Romanization:onaka
Meaning:abdomen

Kana:(ko)(si)
Romanization:kosi
Meaning:waist

Kana:(o)(si)(ri)
Romanization:osiri
Meaning:buttocks

8.3.4. Internal organs


The Japanese word for internal organs is (na)(i)(zo)(u) "naizô". The suffix (zo)(u) "zô" is commonly used for organs.

Kana:(no)(u)
Romanization:nô
Meaning:brain

Kana:(si)(n)(zo)(u)
Romanization:sinzô
Meaning:heart

Kana:(ha)(i)
Romanization:hai
Meaning:lung

Kana:(i)
Romanization:i
Meaning:stomach

Kana:(ti)(small yo)(u)
Romanization:chô
Meaning:intestines

Kana:(ka)(n)(zo)(u)
Romanization:kanzô
Meaning:liver

Kana:(zi)(n)(zo)(u)
Romanization:zinzô
Meaning:kidney

Kana:(bo)(u)(ko)(u)
Romanization:bôkô
Meaning:the bladder

Kana:(ti)
Romanization:ti
Meaning:blood

Note: The word (ke)(tu)(e)(ki) "ketueki" also means blood. It is a scientific term.

Kana:(ho)(ne)
Romanization:hone
Meaning:bone

Kana:(ki)(n)(ni)(ku)
Romanization:kinniku
Meaning:muscle


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