knee, lap

About this kanji

The kanji 膝 (ひざ) primarily means "knee" but can also refer to "lap." It is most often used as a noun. You might come across compounds like 膝頭 (ひざがしら), which means "kneecap," or 片膝 (かたひざ), meaning "one knee." Another example is 膝元 (ひざもと), which refers to the area near one's knee. This kanji can express physical actions like 膝行 (しっこう), meaning to slide on your knees, often used to show respect in formal situations. When using this kanji, remember that it can be both a part of the body and indicate a position of closeness.

Example sentences

• 膝の痛みがなかなか治らない。

  The pain in my knee doesn't seem to heal.

Meanings across languages

English

knee, lap

Tiếng Việt

gối, đùi

日本語

膝, ひざ

한국어

무릎, 무릎 위

中文

膝盖, 大腿上

id

lutut, pangkuan

th

เข่า, ตัก

es

rodilla, regazo

fr

genou, genoux

de

Knie, Schoß

pt

joelho, colo

Common compounds

• 膝頭ひざがしらkneecap
• 片膝かたひざone knee
• 諸膝もろひざboth knees
• 膝元ひざもとnear one's knee, (by) one's side, (at) one's hand
• 膝行しっこうmoving forward by sliding on one's knees (in the presence of high-ranking individuals)
• 膝枕ひざまくらlaying one's head in someone's lap, using someone's lap for a pillow
• 小膝こひざknee
• 両膝りょうひざboth knees