Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
髁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
髁kēthigh bone, hip bone, kneecapg, 17 strokes, radical 骨, rank #43226, Very Hard
髁kēcondylesunknown, 17 strokes, radical 骨, rank #43226, Very Hard
kē(ke1) T1
  1. 1thigh bone, hip bone, kneecap
  2. 2condyles
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

髁kē(ke1)

The character 髁 (kē) refers to the thigh bone, hip bone, or kneecap, specifically the condyles at the ends of these bones. It is a term more commonly used in medical or anatomical contexts, often appearing in discussions related to human anatomy and skeletal structure.

Strokes17Radical骨Frequency#43226DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the understanding of bones, including the knee and thigh bones, is crucial for diagnosing and treating conditions related to movement and health. This character reflects the importance of physical health in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant knee (髁) with a key (kē) hanging from it. The knee represents the joint where the thigh bone connects, while the key symbolizes the importance of understanding the anatomy behind movement and stability.

Meanings of 髁

kē(ke1)
1thigh bone, hip bone, kneecap
2condyles
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 髁

髁Simplified
17Strokes
骨Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 髁

JasonAmy

Podcast: 髁

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 髁

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, such as medical texts or academic discussions about anatomy. Learners should be cautious with the pronunciation, ensuring the correct tone is used to avoid confusion with similar-sounding characters.

HSK Study Tips

Although 髁 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding this character can enhance your knowledge of anatomical terms in Chinese. It connects to body-related vocabulary, so focus on learning related terms to build a comprehensive vocabulary base.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 髁 with similar-sounding characters like 科 (kē), which means 'science' or 'department'. Always remember that 髁 specifically relates to bones, while 科 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 髁

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 髁 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 髁

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

bone

Semantic (meaning)骨
+
Phonetic (sound)果
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 髁

  1. 1The meaning half骨 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half果 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybone
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 髁? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 髁?

Decomposition of 髁

IDS Structure⿰骨果
髁Full Character
=
骨gu3
left
果guo3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 髁?

How to say thigh bone, hip bone, kneecap in Chinese

“thigh bone, hip bone, kneecap” in Chinese is髁kē

The character 髁 (kē) refers to the thigh bone, hip bone, or kneecap, specifically the condyles at the ends of these bones. It is a term more commonly used in medical or anatomical contexts, often appearing in discussions related to human anatomy and skeletal structure.

When to use 髁

This character is primarily used in formal contexts, such as medical texts or academic discussions about anatomy. Learners should be cautious with the pronunciation, ensuring the correct tone is used to avoid confusion with similar-sounding characters.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 髁 with similar-sounding characters like 科 (kē), which means 'science' or 'department'. Always remember that 髁 specifically relates to bones, while 科 does not.

Write 髁

髁

Practice writing 髁 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 髁

Words Containing This Character1
髁kēcondyles
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 髁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 髁

The correct pronunciation is kē, with a high-level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 髁?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.