胸
mune[mɯ̟na̠]
The English phrase 'chest' can be translated into Japanese as 胸 (mune). Wiktionary also lists 胸郭 (kyōkaku).
Meaning: thorax (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 胸 | mune | [mɯ̟na̠] (narrow) [mɯ̟ne̞] (narrow) |
| 胸郭 | kyōkaku |
胸 is a general term used to refer to the chest area. In many contexts, it is also the standard word used to refer to breasts.
Which one should you use?
Use 胸郭 (kyōkaku) when you are referring specifically to the anatomical structure of the rib cage or thoracic cage. In contrast, 胸 is used for the fleshy part of the chest.
How do you pronounce it?
mune
Did you know?
- The word 胸 (mune) is often used in Japanese to refer to the heart and emotions, not just the physical anatomy. For example, feeling 'tightness' in the 胸 can describe emotional distress or anxiety.
- The word 胸 (mune) may share an ancient connection to the word for a 'main roofline' or 'ridge' (棟, mune), based on the concept of a central or primary part.
- In very ancient Japanese, the word 胸 was rarely used by itself and was instead primarily found as part of larger compound words.
Examples in context
- 彼は胸毛が多い。He has a hairy chest.This sentence is useful for describing chest hair using 胸.Tatoeba #3364549 by arnab, translation #2192613 by Hybrid
- 胸触ってもいい？Can I touch your chest?This sentence is useful for asking permission to touch the chest using 胸.Tatoeba #3558988 by tommy_san, translation #3583311 by mikecash
- 胸がひどく痛みます。I have a sharp pain in my chest.This sentence is useful for describing a sharp pain in the chest using 胸.Tatoeba #180093 by bunbuku, translation #18953 by CK
- 25 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A man and a woman are at a clothing store.
- 大翔 Hirotoこのシャツは胸のあたりが少しきついかな。Kono shatsu wa mune no atari ga sukoshi kitsui kana.This shirt is a little tight around the chest.
- 陽葵 Himariじゃあ、もっと大きいサイズを試してみる？Jaa, motto ookii saizu o tameshite miru?Then, do you want to try a larger size?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、お願いします。Un, onegaishimasu.Yes, please.
- 陽葵 Himariはい、こちらの方がゆとりがありますよ。Hai, kochira no hou ga yutori ga arimasu yo.Here, this one has more room.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chest” translations and entries 胸, 胸郭, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 胸, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
