How to Say "Toes" in Mandarin

脚趾

jiǎozhǐ

In Mandarin, the English phrase "toes" is 脚趾 (jiǎozhǐ).

The term refers to the five digits located at the end of a human foot.

What does it mean word for word?

The word 脚趾 is composed of 脚 (jiǎo) meaning foot and 趾 (zhǐ) meaning toe.

While 脚趾 is the standard term, 脚趾头 is more frequently used in casual, everyday conversation.

jiǎozhǐ

The term 趾 (zhǐ) is used in the phrase 趾高气昂 (zhǐ gāo qì áng), an idiom describing someone who is arrogant or haughty.
The character 脚 (jiǎo) meaning 'foot' is also used in the term 脚本 (jiǎoběn), which means a 'script' or 'screenplay' in modern Mandarin.
In traditional Chinese medicine, different 脚趾 (jiǎozhǐ) are believed to connect to different internal organs, meaning a problem with a specific toe can be used to diagnose a systemic health issue.

我可以轻而易举地碰到我的脚趾。
I can easily touch my toes.
This sentence shows how to use 脚趾 to describe touching one's own toes.
Tatoeba #8511060 by maxine, translation #33492 by CK
最初的旗袍遮住了女性身体的大部分，只露出头部、手和脚趾头，为的是无论穿戴者的年龄如何,都能隐藏她的身材。
The original qipao covered most of a woman's body, revealing only the head, the hands and the tips of the toes, in order to conceal the figure of the wearer regardless of her age.
This sentence uses 脚趾 to describe the visible tips of the toes in the context of historical clothing.
Tatoeba #727998 by GlossaMatik, translation #727993 by eastasiastudent
脚趾对于平衡非常重要
Toes are important for balance
每只脚有五个脚趾
Five toes on each foot
两个脚趾
Two toes
我伤到脚趾了
I hurt my toes
脚趾很敏感
Toes are sensitive
她的脚趾很圆润。
Tā de jiǎozhǐ hěn yuánrùn.
Her toes are very rounded.

Jiayi and Junjie are at a beach.

佳怡 Jiayi

俊杰，快看！沙子在我的脚趾缝里。
Jùnjié, kuài kàn! Shāzi zài wǒ de jiǎozhǐ fèng lǐ.
Junjie, look! There is sand between my toes.
俊杰 Junjie

哈哈，那是正常的。
Hāhā, nà shì zhèngcháng de.
Haha, that's normal.
佳怡 Jiayi

我觉得有点痒。
Wǒ juéde yǒudiǎn yǎng.
I feel a bit itchy.
俊杰 Junjie

快去海水里洗洗吧。
Kuài qù hǎishuǐ lǐ xǐxǐ ba.
Quick, go wash them in the seawater.

Sources

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