筋
筋·muscle, line, plot
- On-yomi
- キン
- Kun-yomi
- すじ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 筋肉 | きんにく | muscle |
| 筋 | すじ | line, sinew; the plot of a story |
| 腹筋 | ふっきん | abdominal muscles, sit-ups |
| 筋道 | すじみち | logic, reasoning |
Example sentences
毎日運動して筋肉をつけたい。
まいにちうんどうしてきんにくをつけたい。
I want to exercise every day and build muscle.
映画の筋がよく分からなかった。
えいがのすじがよくわからなかった。
I didn't really follow the plot of the film.
彼の話は筋道が通っている。
かれのはなしはすじみちがとおっている。
His argument is logically consistent.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 腹筋 as *はらきん — it is ふっきん
- Assuming すじ always means muscle — as 筋 it often means the thread of a story
Memory aid
Picture it
Bamboo (竹) over flesh (月) and strength (力) — fibres in the body pulling like bamboo strips.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 筋 mean?