जानु
jānu/d͡ʑɑ́ː.nu/neuter
The Sanskrit word for "knee" is जानु (jānu).
जानु refers to the joint in the middle of the leg and the area surrounding it.
Meaning: joint in the middle of the leg and area around it (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
This is a neuter noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has two syllables and is pronounced /dʑɑ́ː.nu/.
Did you know?
- The word जानु is cognate with the Latin word 'genu', which is the root for the English word 'genuflect', meaning to bend one knee.
- In some classical Sanskrit poetic descriptions, the knees of a beautiful person are compared to the shape of a lotus bud.
- In ancient Indian texts, the act of bending the जानु is often used as a metaphor for submission or deep respect toward a teacher or deity.
Examples in context
- जानु अति पीडादायकम् अस्ति।jānu ati pīḍādāyakam asti.The knee is very painful.
- मम जानु सुस्थिरम् अस्ति।mama jānu susthiram asti.My knee is stable.
Example conversation
Aryan and Kavya are talking about a sports injury.
- आर्यन Aryanकाव्ये, तव जानु कथं अस्ति?Kāvye, tava jānu kathaṃ asti?Kavya, how is your knee?
- काव्या Kavyaआर्य, मम जानु अधुना समीचीनम् अस्ति।Ārya, mama jānu adhunā samīcīnam asti.Aryan, my knee is fine now.
- आर्यन Aryanकिं त्वं जानु नमयितुं शक्नोषि?kiṃ tvaṃ jānu namayituṃ śaknoṣi?Can you bend your knee?
- काव्या Kavyaआम्, अहं जानु नमयितुं शक्नोमि।ām, ahaṃ jānu namayituṃ śaknomi.Yes, I can bend my knee.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “knee” translations and entries जानु, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries जानु, CC BY-SA 4.0.
