肘
hiji[çiʑi]
The Japanese word for elbow is 肘 (hiji).
肘 refers to the joint between the upper arm and the forearm. To express elbow pain, you can say 'hiji ga itai'.
Meaning: joint between upper arm and forearm (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
hiji
Did you know?
- The word 肘 is used in the idiom 肘を噛む, meaning 'to bite one's elbow', which describes feeling deep regret over a missed opportunity.
- In Japanese, the word 肘 is used in the phrase 肘を張る, which literally means 'to stretch one's elbows' but figuratively means to act haughtily or show off one's status.
- The etymology of 肘 traces back to Proto-Japonic *penti, suggesting the word has remained remarkably stable in its phonetic essence for millennia.
Examples in context
- テニスで肘を痛めました。I hurt my elbow playing tennis.This sentence is useful for describing an injury sustained while playing tennis using 肘.Tatoeba #202206 by KK_kaku_, translation #11394447 by CK
- トムは転んで肘をついた。Tom fell and hit his elbow.This sentence is useful for describing a situation where someone fell and hit their 肘.Tatoeba #2580963 by tommy_san, translation #2594221 by WestofEden
- こうすると、肘が痛いんです。My elbow hurts whenever I do this.This sentence is useful for explaining that a specific action causes 肘 to hurt.Tatoeba #11591641 by small_snow, translation #11591583 by CK
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are at a cafe.
- 健太 Kentaテーブルに肘をつかないで。Teeburu ni hiji o tsukanaide.Don't rest your elbows on the table.
- 結衣 Yuiごめん、つい肘をついちゃった。Gomen, tsui hiji o tsuichatta.Sorry, I accidentally leaned on my elbow.
- 健太 Kenta大丈夫？肘は痛くない？Daijoubu? Hiji wa itakunai?Are you okay? Does your elbow hurt?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、全然痛くないよ。Un, zenzen itakunai yo.Yeah, it doesn't hurt at all.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “elbow” translations and entries 肘, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 肘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
