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胳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
胳
gē
arms; armpit
zg, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #49851, Very Hard
gē(ge1)ge T1
1arms; armpit
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March 24, 2026
胳(肐)gē(ge1)
The character 胳 (gē) refers to the arms or armpits in the human body. It is often used in medical contexts or when discussing the body in general. This character is a variant form of 胳, which shares similar meanings and usage.
Strokes10Radical⺼Frequency#49851DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese medicine, discussing the arms and their health is important, as they are believed to be connected to one's overall vitality and energy flow. This highlights the cultural emphasis on the body's holistic health.
Memory tip
Imagine a giant 'guy' (gē) flexing his arms to show off his muscles. The character 胳 has a visual connection to the arms and the body's structure, helping you remember its pronunciation and meaning.
Meanings of 胳
gē(ge1)
1arms; armpit
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
Play it, then pick what 胳 means.
About 胳
胳Simplified
肐Traditional
10Strokes
⺼Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#49851Frequency Rank
Podcast: 胳
Podcast: 胳
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AI study notes for 胳
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the different contexts in which 胳 is used; it can be informal when discussing body parts. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like '歌' (gē, meaning song), which can lead to misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
While 胳 is not included in standard HSK levels, it connects with other body-related vocabulary like 手 (shǒu, hand) and 腿 (tuǐ, leg) that students at HSK 1-3 should focus on. Understanding this character can enhance your comprehension of health and anatomy discussions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 胳 (gē) with 胳膊 (gēbo), which specifically means 'arm'. A common mistake is using 胳 when they mean 'arm' in a more general sense; the correct term for that is 胳膊.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 胳
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 胳 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
胳 = ⺼ + 各. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 胳
IDS Structure⿰⺼各
胳Full character
=
⺼rou4
left
各ge4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 胳?
How to say arms; armpit in Chinese
“arms; armpit” in Chinese is胳gē
The character 胳 (gē) refers to the arms or armpits in the human body. It is often used in medical contexts or when discussing the body in general. This character is a variant form of 胳, which shares similar meanings and usage.
When to use 胳
Be mindful of the different contexts in which 胳 is used; it can be informal when discussing body parts. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like '歌' (gē, meaning song), which can lead to misunderstandings.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 胳 (gē) with 胳膊 (gēbo), which specifically means 'arm'. A common mistake is using 胳 when they mean 'arm' in a more general sense; the correct term for that is 胳膊.
Write 胳
胳
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Practice writing 胳 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 胳
胳 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
Amy lifted her arm to wave. "Goodbye," she called.
10
他用一只胳膊肘支着身体，别扭地躺在她旁边。
tā yòng yī zhī gēbo zhǒu zhī zhe shēntǐ， bièniu dì tǎng zài tā pángbiān。
He lay beside her awkwardly, propped on an elbow.
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Word Family of 胳
Words containing this character7
胳膊gēboarm
胳臂gēbeiarm
胳膊肘gēbozhǒuelbow
胳gēvariant of 胳[gē]肐
胳肢gézhi(dialect) to tickle
胳肢窝gāzhiwōarmpit胳肢窩
胳膊肘朝外拐gēbozhǒucháowàiguǎithe elbow turns the wrong way
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 胳
What does 胳膊 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 胳
胳 (gē) is a character that refers specifically to the arms or armpit, while 胳膊 (gēbo) is the full term for 'arm.' Generally, 胳膊 is more commonly used in everyday conversation.
胳 (gē) refers to the arms or armpit in Chinese. It is a variant character that can be used in various contexts related to the upper limbs. Understanding this character is essential for discussing body parts in Mandarin.
To use 胳 in a sentence, you can say something like '我的胳膊很疼' (Wǒ de gēbó hěn téng), which means 'My arm hurts.' This helps illustrate the character's meaning in a practical context.
胳 is a variant that primarily refers to arms and armpits, while other variants may have slightly different usages. It’s essential to understand the context in which each variant is used.
The correct pronunciation is gē, with a high-level tone, similar to saying 'guy' but with a longer vowel sound.
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