手臂
shǒubì
In Chinese, 'arm' can be translated in several ways, most commonly as 手臂 (shǒubì). Wiktionary also lists 胳膊 (gēbo) and 胳臂 (gēbei).
Meaning: upper appendage from shoulder to wrist (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 手臂 | shǒubì |
| 胳膊 | gēbo |
| 胳臂 | gēbei |
| 臂膀 | bìbǎng |
The term refers to the upper appendage from the shoulder to the wrist. For instance, you might use the term 上肢 (upper limbs) when speaking in a medical or scientific context.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 手臂 is composed of 手 (hand) and 臂 (arm), literally meaning 'hand-arm'.
Which one should you use?
胳膊 is the most common colloquial way to say 'arm' in everyday speech, whereas 手臂 is a more formal and anatomical term. The word 臂膀 is used in a literary or metaphorical sense to refer to physical strength or a person's support and reliance.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
胳膊 is informal. 手臂 is more formal. 臂膀 is literary, and 上肢 is used in formal scientific or medical contexts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many northern Chinese dialects, the second syllable of 胳膊 is often pronounced with a neutral tone.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
shǒubì
Did you know?
- The literary term 臂膀 is frequently used in political rhetoric to describe the 'arms' of a party or state. In this context, it refers to the reliable people who carry out the work of an organization.
- The character 臂 (bì) can stand alone in classical Chinese or more formal written contexts to represent the arm, without needing the 'hand' component found in 手臂.
- In many Chinese dialects, the word 胳膊 is pronounced with a neutral tone on the second syllable, making it sound more clipped than the standard dictionary pronunciation.
Examples in context
- 有人抓住了我的手臂。Somebody caught me by the arm.This sentence shows how someone might be caught by the 手臂.Tatoeba #6114399 by verdastelo9604, translation #24530 by CK
- 我在战争中失去了手臂。I lost my arm in the war.This sentence describes losing an 手臂 during a war.Tatoeba #12686213 by soueihin, translation #8928501 by CK
- 湯姆用叉子戳我的手臂。Tom stuck a fork in my arm.This sentence illustrates a physical action involving the 手臂.Tatoeba #13540026 by LeviHighway, translation #9496484 by CK
- 他伤到胳膊了。He injured his arm.
- 她感到酸痛的是上肢。She feels soreness in her upper limbs.
- 我摔伤了手臂。I injured my arm from falling.
- 他的胳膊很结实。His arms are strong.
- 你的臂膀力量很大。Your arm strength is impressive.
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
晓雯 and 浩然 are at a gym.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen你的手臂肌肉看起来很强壮。Nǐ de shǒubì jīròu kàn qǐlái hěn qiángzhuàng.Your arm muscles look very strong.
- 浩然 Haoran谢谢，我最近一直在锻炼手臂。Xièxiè, wǒ zuìjìn yīzhí zài duànliàn shǒubì.Thanks, I have been training my arms lately.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen浩然，你练得很好。Hàorán, nǐ liàn de hěn hǎo.Haoran, you have trained very well.
- 浩然 Haoran我也觉得很有进步。Wǒ yě juéde hěn yǒu jìnbù.I also feel I have made progress.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “arm” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
