趾
ashiyubi
In Japanese, the word for toe is 趾 (ashiyubi). Wiktionary also lists 足指 (ashiyubi) and 爪先 (tsumasaki).
Meaning: any equivalent part in an animal (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 趾 | ashiyubi | |
| 足指 | ashiyubi | |
| 爪先 | tsumasaki | [t͡sɨma̠sa̠kʲi] (narrow) |
| 蹄 | hizume | [çizɨme̞] (narrow) |
The term is used to describe any equivalent part of an animal.
What does it mean word for word?
The form 足指 is a compound of 足, meaning foot and 指, meaning finger or digit.
Which one should you use?
While 足指 refers to the digit itself, 爪先 refers specifically to the tip or the front part of the toe. The term 蹄 is used specifically for the hard, keratinous toe or hoof of animals like horses or cows, rather than a soft digit.
How do you pronounce it?
ashiyubi
Did you know?
- The term 爪先 (tsumasaki) is often used to mean 'the very front' or 'the tip' of something, even if it does not involve an actual toe or nail.
- A Japanese speaker might use the word 爪 (tsume), meaning 'nail', to describe a bird's claw or a predator's talon, which is quite different from a human fingernail.
- The written form 趾 is rarely used in daily conversation and is primarily found in medical texts or formal anatomical descriptions.
Examples in context
- 医師は彼の足の指の骨を調べました。The doctor examined the bones of his toes.
- 昨日、足の指をぶつけて激痛が走りました！Yesterday, I accidentally hit my toe and felt intense pain!
Example conversation
Yota and Himari are looking at a pet dog.
- 陽太 Yota見て、この犬の趾が小さいよ。Mite, kono inu no ashiyubi ga chiisai yo.Look, this dog's toe is small.
- 陽葵 Himari本当だね。とても可愛い。Honto da ne. Totemo kawaii.You're right. It's very cute.
- 陽太 Yota趾の間に毛が生えているね。Ashiyubi no aida ni ke ga haete iru ne.Hair is growing between the toes.
- 陽葵 Himariお手入れが必要かもしれないね。Oteire ga hitsuyo kamoshirenai ne.It might need some grooming.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “toe” translations and entries 趾, 足指, 爪先, 蹄, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
