Chinese word

肩

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiān

Meaning

  • nounshoulder

Example

他把外套搭在肩上。tā bǎ wài tào dā zài jiān shàng

He draped his coat over his shoulder.

Illustration for 肩 (shoulder)

More examples

她把包斜挎在肩上，走进教室。tā bǎ bāo xié kuà zài jiān shàng zǒu jìn jiào shì

She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked into the classroom.

Core concept

The upper body link between neck and arm that supports movement and provides a place for weight to rest.

Common phrases

  • 把外套搭在肩上bǎ wài tào dā zài jiān shàng

    drape a coat over one's shoulder

  • 耸了耸肩sǒng le sǒng jiān

    shrug one's shoulders

  • 把包斜挎在肩上bǎ bāo xié kuà zài jiān shàng

    sling a bag over one's shoulder

Similar words

肩膀jiān bǎng: The usual spoken term for the shoulder area between the neck and arm.
手臂shǒu bì: The entire arm, extending from the shoulder to the wrist.
胳膊gē bó: An everyday spoken term for the arm, meaning the part from the shoulder onward.

Definition in Chinese

位于颈与上肢之间的一块可活动身体部位，承担扶持上肢和承受外力的功能，通常也用来搭衣物或承载物品。wèi yú jǐng yǔ shàng zhī zhī jiān de yí kuài kě huó dòng shēn tǐ bù wèi chéng dān fú chí shàng zhī hé chéng shòu wài lì de gōng néng tōng cháng yě yòng lái dā yī wù huò chéng zài wù pǐn

Word origin

In 肩 (jiān, "shoulder"), 月 (ròu, "flesh/body") identifies the body-related meaning, while 户 (hù, "door") is the older sound-related component.

Usage tips

  • In Chinese, 肩负 (jiānfù, "to shoulder; undertake") applies the idea of carrying weight to duties, so the compound concerns responsibility rather than clothing or posture.

Related words

Word lists with this word