Japanese word

背

Pronunciation

Romajise

Meaning

  • nounback

Example

彼は背をかきます。kare wa se o ka ki ma su

He scratches his back.

Illustration for 背 (back)

More examples

運動の前に、背を伸ばします。un dō no mae ni se o no ba shi ma su

I stretch my back before exercising.

Core concept

背 (se, "back") denotes the body's rear side, opposite the chest.

Common phrases

  • 背をかくse o ka ku

    scratch one's back

  • 背を向けるse o mu ke ru

    turn one's back

  • 背を伸ばすse o no ba su

    straighten one's back

Similar words

背中senaka: The part of the body that extends from the shoulders to the waist on the rear side.

Definition in Japanese

胸と反対側にある、体の後ろの部分。mune to han tai gawa ni a ru karada no ushi ro no bu bun

Word origin

The native Japanese noun 背 (se, "back") is an inherited word for the rear of the body, and the kanji 背 was chosen for its matching meaning rather than for its Sino-Japanese reading.

Usage tips

  • The English noun back also means the rear side of a thing, but 背 (se, "back") in this use refers to a part of the body.

Word lists with this word