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Japanese body parts are mostly written in kanji: 頭 (あたま) = head, 目 (め) = eye, 手 (て) = hand, 足 (あし) = foot/leg. The pain pattern [body part] が 痛いです lets you describe any ache or injury immediately.
This page covers 40+ body part words from JLPT N5 and N4, grouped by body region, with kanji, hiragana, romaji, and example sentences.
These are among the most frequently tested N5 body-part words. Note that 目, 耳, 口, and 鼻 are single-kanji words with short readings.
| English | 漢字 | Reading | Romaji | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Head | 頭 | あたま | atama | 頭が痛いです。(I have a headache.) |
| Face | 顔 | かお | kao | 顔を洗います。(I wash my face.) |
| Eye(s) | 目 | め | me | 目が大きいです。(She has big eyes.) |
| Ear(s) | 耳 | みみ | mimi | 耳が聞こえません。(I can't hear.) |
| Nose | 鼻 | はな | hana | 鼻が高いです。(She has a high nose.) |
| Mouth | 口 | くち | kuchi | 口を開けてください。(Please open your mouth.) |
| Tooth / Teeth | 歯 | は | ha | 歯を磨きます。(I brush my teeth.) |
| Tongue | 舌 | した | shita | 舌がしびれます。(My tongue is numb.) |
| Lip(s) | 唇 | くちびる | kuchibiru | 唇が乾いています。(My lips are dry.) |
| Cheek | 頬 | ほお / ほっぺた | hoo / hoppeta | 頬が赤いです。(Her cheeks are red.) |
| Eyebrow | 眉毛 | まゆげ | mayuge | 眉毛が太いです。(He has thick eyebrows.) |
| Eyelash | まつ毛 | まつげ | matsuge | まつ毛が長いです。(She has long eyelashes.) |
| Hair (head) | 髪 | かみ | kami | 髪を切りました。(I got a haircut.) |
| Neck | 首 | くび | kubi | 首が痛いです。(My neck hurts.) |
| Throat | 喉 | のど | nodo | 喉が渇きました。(I'm thirsty. / My throat is dry.) |
Quick note on hair: 髪 (かみ) is hair on the head. Body hair is 毛 (け, ke), and animal fur is also 毛. Do not confuse 髪 (kami) with 神 (kami) = god or 紙 (kami) = paper — same pronunciation, different kanji.
| English | 漢字 | Reading | Romaji | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body (whole) | 体 | からだ | karada | 体に気をつけてください。(Please take care of your body.) |
| Shoulder | 肩 | かた | kata | 肩が凝っています。(My shoulders are stiff.) |
| Chest | 胸 | むね | mune | 胸が痛いです。(My chest hurts.) |
| Stomach / Belly | お腹 | おなか | onaka | お腹が空きました。(I'm hungry. / My stomach is empty.) |
| Back (upper) | 背中 | せなか | senaka | 背中を流しましょうか。(Shall I wash your back?) |
| Lower back / Hip | 腰 | こし | koshi | 腰が痛くて動けません。(My lower back hurts and I can't move.) |
| Waist | ウエスト | ウエスト | uesuto | ウエストを測ります。(I measure my waist.) |
| Hip (bone) | 腰骨 | こしぼね | koshibone | 腰骨が当たります。(The hip bone is pressing.) |
| Navel / Belly button | へそ | へそ | heso | へそのあたりが痛いです。(It hurts around my navel.) |
| English | 漢字 | Reading | Romaji | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arm | 腕 | うで | ude | 腕を上げてください。(Please raise your arm.) |
| Hand | 手 | て | te | 手を洗ってください。(Please wash your hands.) |
| Elbow | 肘 | ひじ | hiji | 肘をつかないでください。(Don't put your elbows on the table.) |
| Wrist | 手首 | てくび | tekubi | 手首を捻挫しました。(I sprained my wrist.) |
| Palm | 手のひら | てのひら | tenohira | 手のひらを見せてください。(Show me your palm.) |
| Finger | 指 | ゆび | yubi | 指を切ってしまいました。(I accidentally cut my finger.) |
| Thumb | 親指 | おやゆび | oyayubi | 親指を立ててください。(Please give a thumbs up.) |
| Index finger | 人差し指 | ひとさしゆび | hitosashiyubi | 人差し指で指してください。(Please point with your index finger.) |
| Nail (finger/toe) | 爪 | つめ | tsume | 爪を切ります。(I cut my nails.) |
て vs うで: In casual Japanese, 手 (te) can refer to the whole arm and hand, just as English speakers say "give me a hand." When precision matters, use 腕 (ude) for the arm and 手 (te) for the hand.
| English | 漢字 | Reading | Romaji | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leg / Foot | 足 | あし | ashi | 足が痛いです。(My leg/foot hurts.) |
| Thigh | 太もも | ふともも | futomomo | 太ももが筋肉痛です。(My thighs are sore.) |
| Knee | 膝 | ひざ | hiza | 膝をついてください。(Please kneel down.) |
| Calf / Shin | すね | すね | sune | すねをぶつけました。(I bumped my shin.) |
| Ankle | 足首 | あしくび | ashikubi | 足首を捻挫しました。(I sprained my ankle.) |
| Sole of foot | 足の裏 | あしのうら | ashi no ura | 足の裏がかゆいです。(The sole of my foot is itchy.) |
| Toe | 足の指 | あしのゆび | ashi no yubi | 足の指をドアにぶつけました。(I stubbed my toe on the door.) |
足 (あし) does double duty: It means both leg and foot. Context usually makes it clear — 足が長い (ashi ga nagai) = has long legs; 足が大きい (ashi ga ookii) = has big feet. To be specific, 脚 (あし) is the leg (from thigh to ankle) and 足 (あし) is the foot, but both use the same reading and are often interchangeable in everyday speech.
| English | 漢字 | Reading | Romaji | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart | 心臓 | しんぞう | shinzou | Medical term; 心 (こころ) is the emotional heart |
| Stomach (organ) | 胃 | い | i | As in 胃が痛い (stomach ache, organ) |
| Liver | 肝臓 | かんぞう | kanzou | Appears in medical contexts and food menus |
| Kidney | 腎臓 | じんぞう | jinzou | Often paired: 腎臓病 (kidney disease) |
| Lung(s) | 肺 | はい | hai | 肺炎 (はいえん, haien) = pneumonia |
| Bone | 骨 | ほね | hone | 骨が折れた (hone ga oreta) = broken bone |
| Muscle | 筋肉 | きんにく | kinniku | 筋肉痛 (kinniku tsuu) = muscle ache |
| Skin | 肌 | はだ | hada | 肌がきれいです = You have beautiful skin |
| Blood | 血 | ち | chi | 血が出ています (chi ga deteimasu) = bleeding |
The core pattern for describing body pain is: [body part] が 痛いです ([body part] ga itai desu). This is essential for doctor's visits, daily conversations, and JLPT reading passages.
| Situation | 日本語 | Romaji | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headache | 頭が痛いです。 | Atama ga itai desu. | I have a headache. |
| Stomachache | お腹が痛いです。 | Onaka ga itai desu. | My stomach hurts. |
| Back pain | 腰が痛いです。 | Koshi ga itai desu. | My lower back hurts. |
| Sore throat | 喉が痛いです。 | Nodo ga itai desu. | My throat hurts. |
| Knee pain | 膝が痛いです。 | Hiza ga itai desu. | My knee hurts. |
| Toothache | 歯が痛いです。 | Ha ga itai desu. | I have a toothache. |
| Shoulder stiffness | 肩が凝っています。 | Kata ga kotte imasu. | My shoulders are stiff. |
| Broken bone | 骨が折れました。 | Hone ga oremashita. | I broke a bone. |
| Sprained ankle | 足首を捻挫しました。 | Ashikubi wo nenza shimashita. | I sprained my ankle. |
| Where does it hurt? | どこが痛いですか。 | Doko ga itai desu ka. | Where does it hurt? |
が vs は with 痛い: Use が to identify the painful part (頭が痛い = my head hurts). Use は to contrast (頭は痛くないけど、喉は痛いです = My head doesn't hurt, but my throat does).
Add 右 (みぎ, migi) or 左 (ひだり, hidari) directly before body-part kanji to form compound words — no の needed for the most common pairs.
| English | 右 (right) | Reading | 左 (left) | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eye | 右目 | みぎめ | 左目 | ひだりめ |
| Ear | 右耳 | みぎみみ | 左耳 | ひだりみみ |
| Hand | 右手 | みぎて | 左手 | ひだりて |
| Foot / Leg | 右足 | みぎあし | 左足 | ひだりあし |
| Shoulder | 右肩 | みぎかた | 左肩 | ひだりかた |
| Knee | 右膝 | みぎひざ | 左膝 | ひだりひざ |
Practise the words in the short patterns you are likely to need. This also helps separate everyday vocabulary from anatomical terms.
頭が痛いです. The pattern is “[body part] + が痛いです.” Use it with many common words, such as 喉が痛いです for “my throat hurts.”
右手が痛いです. Add 右 or 左 directly before many body-part nouns: 左目, 右耳, and 右手.
No. 足 can refer to a foot or a leg. Ask a follow-up question or use context before assuming which part is meant.
Body is 体 (からだ, karada). The more formal/medical term is 身体 (しんたい, shintai). Example: 体に気をつけてください (karada ni ki wo tsukete kudasai) = please take care of your body.
Head is 頭 (あたま, atama). For a headache: 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu). The medical compound 頭痛 (ずつう, zutsuu) means headache and is used on medicine packaging.
Hand is 手 (て, te) and arm is 腕 (うで, ude). In casual speech 手 can cover both. For precision: 右腕 (みぎうで) = right arm, 右手 (みぎて) = right hand. Finger is 指 (ゆび, yubi).
お腹が痛いです (onaka ga itai desu). Use this pattern for any body part: [body part] が 痛いです. For stomach organ pain specifically, use 胃が痛いです (i ga itai desu).
JLPT N5 body parts include: 体、頭、顔、目、耳、口、鼻、手、足、歯. N4 adds 腕、指、背中、胸、膝 and pain-expression vocabulary like 痛い (itai) and 凝る (koru).
Yes — add 右 (みぎ) or 左 (ひだり) before the body part: 右手 (みぎて) = right hand, 左足 (ひだりあし) = left foot/leg. These are compound words and do not need の between them.
Context check
Use the pain pattern, distinguish nearby words, and check the body-part vocabulary in real situations.
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The YoruLearn app uses spaced repetition flashcards and fill-in-the-blank drills to help you memorise body part vocabulary, pain patterns, and kanji readings at the pace that suits you.