膝
xī
The English word 'knee' is translated into Chinese as 膝 (xī) or 膝蓋 / 膝盖.
Meaning: joint in the middle of the leg and area around it (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 膝 | xī |
| 膝蓋 / 膝盖 | xīgài |
Both forms refer to the joint in the middle of the leg and the area around it. In everyday spoken Chinese, 膝蓋 / 膝盖 is the standard way to refer to the knee as a body part.
Which one should you use?
While 膝 (xī) is the root word for knee, it is rarely used alone in spoken Mandarin and is typically used in compound words or formal anatomical terms.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the word for knee is 膝頭 (sat1 tau4).
How do you pronounce it?
xī
Did you know?
- In Chinese, the term 膝蓋 (xīgài) literally means 'knee cover', as 蓋 means 'lid' or 'cover'.
- The original character for 膝 included the radical 卩, which depicts a person in a kneeling position.
- In traditional Chinese culture, kneeling was a primary sign of respect and submission, making the 膝 a powerful symbol of social hierarchy.
Examples in context
- 我的膝蓋疼。My knee aches.This sentence shows how to express that a knee is aching using 膝.Tatoeba #10368432 by DaoSeng, translation #6588377 by Eccles17
- 積雪深及膝蓋。The snow was knee deep.This sentence illustrates how to use 膝 to describe the depth of snow.Tatoeba #778760 by Martha, translation #272605 by CK
- 我在膝蓋上跟嬰兒玩。I played with the baby on my knee.This sentence demonstrates using 膝 to describe a physical location when playing with a baby.Tatoeba #775899 by Martha, translation #472109 by CK
- 他跪倒在地，膝头受伤了。He knelt down and injured his knee.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Haoran and Xiaowen are talking after a gym workout.
- 浩然 Haoran晓雯，你的膝盖还疼吗？Xiǎowén, nǐ de xīgài hái téng ma?Xiaowen, does your knee still hurt?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好多了，谢谢浩然。Hǎo duō le, xièxiè Hàorán.Much better, thanks Haoran.
- 浩然 Haoran那你记得保护好膝盖。Nà nǐ jìde bǎohù hǎo xīgài.Then remember to protect your knees.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我会的，下次我会慢一点。Wǒ huì de, xiàcì wǒ huì màn yīdiǎn.I will, I'll go slower next time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “knee” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 膝, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
