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道Nihongo Path
肘

肘·elbow

On-yomi
チュウ
Kun-yomi
ひじ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

7 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
肘ひじelbow
肘掛けひじかけarmrest
肘鉄ひじてつelbow blow; a cold rebuff
両肘りょうひじboth elbows

Example sentences

  1. 机に肘をつかないで食べなさい。

    つくえにひじをつかないでたべなさい。

    Don't eat with your elbows on the table.

  2. 椅子の肘掛けに腕を乗せて休んだ。

    いすのひじかけにうでをのせてやすんだ。

    I rested my arms on the armrests of the chair.

  3. 満員電車で肘が当たってしまった。

    まんいんでんしゃでひじがあたってしまった。

    My elbow bumped into someone on the crowded train.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 肘 as ちゅう in everyday sentences — in normal Japanese it is ひじ
  • Writing 時 or 討 for 肘 — the right half is 寸, a small measure

Memory aid

Picture it

Flesh (月) plus 寸, a short measure — the joint a hand's breadth down the arm.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 肘 mean?