Learning the names of body parts in Chinese is fundamental for clear communication, whether in medical settings, casual conversations, or educational contexts. Knowing these terms can help you describe physical conditions, discuss health issues, or simply engage in everyday interactions more effectively. This guide provides a complete list of body parts, categorized by their location on the body, with 20 terms for each section to help you expand your vocabulary and improve your fluency in Chinese.
In some cases, some body part words are only used to speak casually, and some are used as formal medical terms. Casual terms are often used in everyday conversations and are simpler or more colloquial. Medical terms, on the other hand, tend to be more precise and are used in healthcare or scientific contexts. Where there is a notable difference, we have provided both terms.
Head and Face
头 (tóu): Head; Refers to the entire head (casual)
头部 (tóubù): Head (more formal, medical term)
脸 (liǎn): Face
面部 (miànbù): Face (formal, medical term)
眼睛 (yǎnjīng): Eyes
眼球 (yǎnqiú): Eyeball (medical term)
眉毛 (méimáo): Eyebrows
眉骨 (méigǔ): Brow bone (medical term)
睫毛 (jiémáo): Eyelashes
下眼睑 (xià yǎnjiǎn): Lower eyelid; Refers to the lower part of the eyelid
上眼睑 (shàng yǎnjiǎn): Upper eyelid; Refers to the upper part of the eyelid
耳朵 (ěrduo): Ears
耳垂 (ěrchuí): Earlobe; Refers to the soft part of the ear
耳廓 (ěrkuò): Auricle (outer part of the ear, medical term)
鼻子 (bízi): Nose
鼻孔 (bíkǒng): Nostril; Refers to the nostrils of the nose
鼻梁 (bíliáng): Nasal bridge (medical term)
嘴巴 (zuǐba): Mouth
口腔 (kǒuqiāng): Oral cavity (medical term)
牙齿 (yáchǐ): Teeth
舌头 (shétou): Tongue
嘴角 (zuǐjiǎo): Corner of the mouth; Refers to the sides of the mouth
牙龈 (yáyín): Gums; Refers to the soft tissue surrounding the teeth
舌根 (shégēn): Tongue root
额头 (étóu): Forehead
下巴 (xiàba): Chin
太阳穴 (tàiyángxuè): Temples; Refers to the sides of the forehead
脸颊 (liǎnjiá): Cheeks; Refers to the sides of the face
颊部 (jiábù): Cheek area (medical term)
Upper Body
肩膀 (jiānbǎng): Shoulders
肩部 (jiānbù): Shoulder (more formal, medical term)
手臂 (shǒubì): Arms
上肢 (shàngzhī): Upper limb (formal, medical term)
手 (shǒu): Hand
手指 (shǒuzhǐ): Fingers
胸部 (xiōngbù): Chest
背部 (bèibù): Back (often used in both casual and medical contexts)
肚子 (dùzi): Belly/Stomach; Refers to the belly or stomach
腰 (yāo): Waist
乳房 (rǔfáng): Breasts (more formal)
乳腺 (rǔxiàn): Mammary gland (more specific, medical term)
肋骨 (lèigǔ): Ribs (can be used medically as well)
腹肌 (fùjī): Abdominal muscles; Refers to the muscles in the abdominal area
胸腺 (xiōngxiàn): Thymus; Refers to the gland located in the chest
肩带 (jiāndài): Shoulder strap; Refers to the area or muscle around the shoulder
前臂 (qiánbì): Forearm; Refers to the part of the arm between the elbow and wrist
锁骨 (suǒgǔ): Collarbone; Refers to the bone connecting the arm to the body
肘部 (zhǒubù): Elbow
手掌 (shǒuzhǎng): Palm; Refers to the palm of the hand
腕部 (wànbù): Wrist
胳膊 (gēbo): Arm; Refers to the entire arm (alternative to 手臂)
腋下 (yèxià): Armpit; Refers to the area under the arm
Lower Body
腿 (tuǐ): Legs
膝盖 (xīgài): Knees
脚 (jiǎo): Feet
足部 (zúbù): Foot (more formal, medical term)
脚趾 (jiǎozhǐ): Toes
臀部 (túnbù): Buttocks (formal, medical term)
小腿 (xiǎotuǐ): Calves
大腿 (dàtuǐ): Thighs
脚踝 (jiǎohuái): Ankles
胯部 (kuàbù): Hip; Refers to the hip area
小腹 (xiǎofù): Lower Abdomen; Refers to the lower abdomen or lower belly
髋部 (kuānbù): Hip joint
脚背 (jiǎobèi): Instep; Refers to the top part of the foot
跟部 (gēnbù): Heel; Refers to the back part of the foot
腿部 (tuǐbù): Leg area; Refers to the area of the legs
膝部 (xībù): Knee area; Refers to the area around the knees
大腿根部 (dàtuǐ gēnbù): Thigh joint; Refers to the area where the thigh connects to the hip
内侧大腿 (nèicè dàtuǐ): Inner thigh
外侧大腿 (wàicè dàtuǐ): Outer thigh
小腿前侧 (xiǎotuǐ qiáncè): Front of the calf
脚掌 (jiǎozhǎng): Sole of the foot; Refers to the bottom part of the foot
Additional Terms
血液 (xiěyè): Blood; Refers to blood, often used in medical contexts
肌肉 (jīròu): Muscle
组织 (zǔzhī): Tissue; Refers to tissues in the body
肌肉组织 (jīròu zǔzhī): Muscle tissue
骨头 (gǔ tóu): Bone
神经 (shénjīng): Nerves; Refers to nerves, important in medical or anatomical discussions
皮肤 (pífū): Skin
脉搏 (màibó): Pulse; Refers to the pulse in medical contexts
淋巴 (lín bā): Lymph; Refers to lymphatic fluid
内脏 (nèizàng): Internal organs
关节 (guānjié): Joint; Refers to a joint in the body
血管 (xiěguǎn): Blood vessels
骨髓 (gǔsuǐ): Bone marrow; Refers to the tissue inside bones
呼吸道 (hūxīdào): Respiratory tract; Refers to the pathways for breathing
胃 (wèi): Stomach; Refers to the digestive organ
肠道 (chángdào): Intestines; Refers to the digestive tract
膀胱 (pángguāng): Bladder; Refers to the organ that stores urine
肝脏 (gānzàng): Liver; Refers to the liver
心脏 (xīnzàng): Heart
肾脏 (shènzàng): Kidneys
胰腺 (yíxiàn): Pancreas
皮肤科 (pífū kē): Dermatology (relates to skin)
神经系统 (shénjīng xìtǒng): Nervous system
骨骼 (gǔgé): Skeleton
Mastering body part vocabulary in Chinese enhances your ability to communicate effectively in various situations, from discussing health to everyday conversations. By familiarizing yourself with these terms, you can describe physical attributes, discuss health conditions, and engage in more detailed discussions. This comprehensive list provides you with the essential vocabulary to improve your fluency and confidence in Chinese. Continue practicing these terms to expand your language skills and navigate conversations involving physical descriptions with greater ease.
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