shoulder

About this kanji

The kanji 肩 (かた) primarily means "shoulder." It is often used as a noun rather than a verb. One common compound is 肩書き (かたがき), which means "title," such as Doctor or Professor. Another example is 肩代わり (かたがわり), meaning "taking over"—usually referring to assuming someone else's responsibilities or debts. You might also see 肩こり (かたこり), which refers to a "stiff neck"—a common complaint for people who sit for long periods. When using this kanji, remember that it can express both physical and metaphorical burdens, such as responsibilities or roles in life.

Example sentences

• 肩が凝ってしまった。

  My shoulders are stiff.

Meanings across languages

English

shoulder

Tiếng Việt

vai

日本語

肩

한국어

어깨

中文

肩

id

bahu

th

ไหล่

es

hombro

fr

épaule

de

Schulter

pt

ombro

Common compounds

• 肩書きかたがきtitle (e.g. Doctor, Professor, Lord), job title, position (in a company)
• 肩代わりかたがわりtaking over (another's debt, work), shouldering someone else's burden, subrogation
• 肩身かたみshoulders, body, honour
• 肩こりかたこりstiff neck, stiff shoulders
• 路肩ろかたshoulder (of a road), berm
• 強肩きょうけんstrong throwing arm
• 肩入れかたいれsupport, backing, patronage
• 肩たたきかたたたきpounding lightly on the shoulders (to relieve stiffness), shoulder massage, massage stick for pounding the shoulders