JLPT N5 Japanese Body Parts Vocabulary
The 20 body-part terms you'll see at the doctor, in idioms, and in describing yourself.
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Why this list
Body vocabulary is one of the smaller N5 clusters but punches above its weight because the words anchor a huge number of idioms. 頭がいい (atama ga ii, smart). 耳がいい (mimi ga ii, good listener). 口が軽い (kuchi ga karui, can't keep a secret).
Learn the bare list first, then revisit it through idioms in N4. The same vocabulary gets used in increasingly figurative ways as you advance.
The 20 words
| Kanji | Kana | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 体 | からだ | karada | body |
| 頭 | あたま | atama | head |
| 顔 | かお | kao | face |
| 目 | め | me | eye |
| 鼻 | はな | hana | nose |
| 口 | くち | kuchi | mouth |
| 耳 | みみ | mimi | ear |
| 歯 | は | ha | tooth |
| 首 | くび | kubi | neck |
| 肩 | かた | kata | shoulder |
| 胸 | むね | mune | chest |
| 腕 | うで | ude | arm |
| 手 | て | te | hand |
| 指 | ゆび | yubi | finger |
| お腹 | おなか | onaka | stomach, belly |
| 背中 | せなか | senaka | back |
| 足 | あし | ashi | leg, foot |
| 髪 | かみ | kami | hair |
| 声 | こえ | koe | voice |
| 病気 | びょうき | byōki | illness |
Common questions
Why does 足 mean both leg and foot?+
Japanese doesn't always distinguish between leg and foot the way English does. Context tells you which. For specifically 'foot,' people sometimes say 足首 (ashikubi, ankle) or specify with descriptions; for 'leg,' 脚 (also ashi) is sometimes used in writing.
How do I say 'I have a headache' in Japanese?+
頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu). The pattern is [body part] が痛い for any body-part pain. お腹が痛い for stomachache, 歯が痛い for toothache.
What does 'kao ga hiroi' literally and idiomatically mean?+
Literally: 'face is wide.' Idiomatically: 'has a wide social network, knows lots of people.' Body-part idioms are common in Japanese and surprisingly transparent once you learn the pattern.
Related
These 20 words are part of this site's themed N5 editorial selection. Inku's mobile app expands that into a 551-card N5 bundle with bundled pronunciation audio and FSRS spaced review. Download Inku.
