Japanese Conversation · Level 10
90 words
Japanese word
へそ
Pronunciation
Romajiheso
Meaning
- nounbelly button
Example
お風呂でへそを洗います。o fu ro de he so o ara i ma su
I wash my belly button in the bath.
More examples
水着からへそが見えています。mizu gi ka ra he so ga mi e te i ma su
My belly button is showing above my swimsuit.
Core concept
It refers to the body's central mark from the umbilical cord, whether it sinks inward or sticks outward.
Common phrases
へそを出すhe so o da su
show one's belly button
へその緒he so no itoguchi
umbilical cord
Similar words
おへそoheso: A polite or gentle form for the small mark left on the abdomen by the umbilical cord.
Definition in Japanese
腹の中央にある、へその緒が取れた跡の部分。hara no chū ō ni a ru he so no o ga to re ta ato no bu bun
Word origin
へそ (heso) is an old native Japanese word; it is also written as 臍 (heso, "navel"), but the word's original formation is uncertain.
Usage tips
- English speakers use navel in compounds such as navel orange, whose name comes from a small second fruit that resembles a navel.
Other meanings
- navelnoun