Japanese word

上半身

Pronunciation

Romajijōhanshin

Meaning

  • nounupper body

Example

毎日、上半身をまっすぐに保ちます。mai nichi jō han shin o ma ssu gu ni tamo chi ma su

I keep my upper body straight every day.

Illustration for 上半身 (upper body)

More examples

水泳では、上半身と脚を連動させて進みます。sui ei de wa jō han shin to ashi o ren dō sa se te susu mi ma su

In swimming, I move forward by coordinating my upper body and legs.

Core concept

Presents the body as two sections and identifies the section above the waist rather than the legs and hips.

Common phrases

  • 上半身を鍛えるjō han shin o kita e ru

    train the upper body

  • 上半身の筋肉jō han shin no kin niku

    upper-body muscles

  • 上半身を動かすjō han shin o ugo ka su

    move the upper body

Similar words

上体jōtai: The part of the body above the waist, especially when considered in relation to posture or movement.

Definition in Japanese

身体を上下に分けたときの、腰から上の部分。shin tai o jō ge ni wa ke ta to ki no koshi ka ra ue no bu bun

Word origin

The compound 上半身 (jōhanshin) joins 上 (jō, "upper") with 半身 (hanshin, "half of the body"), making its meaning transparent from its parts.

Usage tips

  • In fitness English, upper-body exercises train the chest, back, shoulders, and arms, while lower-body exercises train the hips and legs.

Opposites

Word lists with this word