canal carpien
masculine
The English phrase carpal tunnel is translated into French as canal carpien.
canal carpien refers to the passageway on the palmar side of the wrist. In a medical context, French speakers typically use the full phrase syndrome du canal carpien to refer to the condition rather than just canal carpien.
Meaning: passageway on the palmar side of the wrist (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is a literal translation where canal means tunnel and carpien is the adjective for carpal.
How does it change in a sentence?
When saying one suffers 'from' carpal tunnel syndrome, the preposition de contracts with the masculine article le to become du.
Did you know?
- In French, the adjective carpien specifically refers to the carpal bones, stemming from the Greek word karpos which means 'wrist' or 'fruit'.
- The word canal is a doublet of chenal, meaning they both originate from the same Latin root but evolved into different French words to describe different types of waterways.
- French medical terminology frequently uses canal for any narrow tube in the body, whereas English alternates between 'tunnel', 'duct', and 'canal' depending on the organ.
Examples in context
- J'ai une douleur au poignet et à l'avant-bras, je crois que je souffre peut-être du syndrome du canal carpien.My wrist and forearm hurt, I think I might be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome.This sentence is useful for expressing that you might be suffering from the canal carpien syndrome.Tatoeba #405852 by Scott, translation #405854 by Scott
- Je souffre du syndrome du canal carpienI have carpal tunnel syndrome
- Le canal carpien est un passage étroitThe carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway
Example conversation
Nathan and Manon are talking about Manon's wrist pain at home.
- NathanEst-ce que ta douleur au poignet s'est calmée, Manon ?Has your wrist pain subsided, Manon?
- ManonNon, je pense que c'est lié au canal carpien.No, I think it's related to carpal tunnel.
- NathanTu devrais vraiment consulter un spécialiste rapidement.You should really consult a specialist quickly.
- ManonTu as raison, je vais prendre rendez-vous demain.You're right, I will make an appointment tomorrow.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “carpal tunnel” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canal, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
