Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 腎臟 / 肾脏 | shènzàng |
| 腎 / 肾 | shèn |
| 腰子 | yāozi |
The term refers to the organ in the body. In medical contexts, the single character 腎 (shèn) is often used as a prefix to describe specific conditions, such as in the word for nephritis.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 腎臟 / 肾脏 (shènzàng) is composed of the character 腎 (kidney) and 臟 (organ or viscera).
Which one should you use?
腎臟 / 肾脏 (shènzàng) is used in medical or formal contexts. In daily speech, the shorter form 腎 / 肾 (shèn) is more common. In a culinary context, specifically when referring to kidney meat, the colloquial term 腰子 (yāozi) is used.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
腎臟 / 肾脏 is the formal or medical term. 腎 / 肾 is the standard way to refer to the organ in everyday conversation. 腰子 is a colloquial term used primarily in relation to food.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Taiwanese Mandarin, the term for kidney is 腎臟 / 肾脏 (shèn zhàng).
How do you pronounce it?
shènzàng
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, kidneys are closely associated with sexual health and vigor, making 補腎 (bǔ shèn), or 'tonifying the kidney', a common phrase in wellness and supplements.
- In traditional Chinese medicine, the 腎 (shèn) is not just an organ but the center of 'vital essence' and the seat of the will.
- The Chinese word for kidney is a cognate of the Burmese word ကုန်း (kun:), which means 'back'.
Examples in context
- 我感觉肾脏有些不舒服。I feel some discomfort in my kidneys.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “kidney” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 腎, CC BY-SA 4.0.
