筋肉質
kinnikushitsu
The Japanese word for muscular is 筋肉質 (kinnikushitsu).
筋肉質 is used to describe a person's physical build or constitution rather than describing a specific muscle being large.
Meaning: having large, well-developed muscles (adj)
Which one should you use?
筋肉隆々 is a formal way to say muscular, emphasizing both strength and size, specifically when describing prominently developed muscles.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because 筋肉質 is a na-adjective, you must add な to the end when it directly modifies a noun, such as 筋肉質な体 (a muscular body).
How do you pronounce it?
kinnikushitsu
Did you know?
- If you want to describe someone as 'ripped' or having extremely defined muscles, you might use the slang term バキバキ (bakibaki). This is an onomatopoeic expression that mimics the sound of something snapping or cracking, suggesting the muscles are so hard they could snap.
- When talking about an athlete's build, you might hear the word たくましい (takumashii). While it means 'sturdy' or 'brawny', it carries a strong connotation of being 'reliable' and 'dependable' in a social or moral sense.
- The word 筋肉 ('muscle') is composed of two characters meaning 'meat' and 'root'. To a Japanese speaker, muscles are conceptually the 'roots of the meat'.
Examples in context
- 彼はとても筋肉質ですね。Kare wa totemo kinnikushitsu desu ne.He is very muscular, isn't he?
- あの選手は筋肉質な体をしている。Ano senshu wa kinnikushitsu na karada o shite iru.That athlete has a muscular body.
- 筋肉質な体を作るのは大変だ。Kinnikushitsu na karada o tsukuru no wa taihen da.It is hard to build a muscular body.
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking about a gym trainer.
- 健太 Kentaあのトレーナーさんは筋肉質だね。ano toreinaa-san wa kinnikushitsu da ne.That trainer is muscular, isn't he?
- 陽葵 Himari本当にすごい体格ですね。hontou ni sugoi taikaku desu ne.He really has an amazing build.
- 健太 Kenta僕もあんな風になりたいな。boku mo anna fuu ni naritai na.I want to become like that too.
- 陽葵 Himari健太さんも頑張ってください。kenta-san mo ganbatte kudasai.Good luck with your efforts, Kenta.
