Skip to content
Begin learning Chinese at your own paceStart learning
尻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
尻kāoend of spine; buttocks, sacrumg, 5 strokes, radical 尸, rank #22879, Very Hard
尻kāococcyxunknown, 5 strokes, radical 尸, rank #22879, Very Hard
尻kāotailbone at end of spineunknown, 5 strokes, radical 尸, rank #22879, Very Hard
尻kāorear joint of meat animalunknown, 5 strokes, radical 尸, rank #22879, Very Hard
kāo(kao1)kao T1
  1. 1end of spine; buttocks, sacrum
  2. 2coccyx
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

尻kāo(kao1)

The character 尻 (kāo) refers to the lower back part of the body, specifically the buttocks or tailbone area. It can also describe the rear joint of an animal, particularly in culinary contexts. This term is commonly used in both informal and formal settings when discussing anatomy or cooking.

Strokes5Radical尸Frequency#22879DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, specific cuts of meat are often referred to using this character, emphasizing the importance of different parts of an animal in cooking. For instance, dishes that feature the tail or rear cuts are considered delicacies in various regional cuisines.

Memory tip

Think of 尻 as a 'tail' (the radical on top resembles a tail) that connects to the 'bottom' (the radical below). Imagine a tail hanging down from the rear end of an animal, reminding you of both the anatomical and culinary meanings. The sound 'kāo' can be linked to the English word 'cow', which has a prominent rear end.

Meanings of 尻

kāo(kao1)
1end of spine; buttocks, sacrum
2coccyx
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 尻 means.

About 尻

尻Simplified
5Strokes
尸Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 尻

JasonAmy

Podcast: 尻

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 尻

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing kāo, as incorrect tones can lead to misunderstandings. It's often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in medical discussions. Common collocations include 尻部 (kāobù), meaning 'buttocks area', and 尻尾 (shūbiǎo), meaning 'tail' (where the character changes).

HSK Study Tips

While 尻 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your grasp of anatomical terms. It connects with other body-related words like 背 (bèi, back) and 腰 (yāo, waist). Focus on the pronunciation and application in context, especially in everyday conversations about health or animals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 尻 with similar-sounding words, such as 喝 (hē, to drink) due to tonal similarities. Ensure you practice the correct tone to avoid this confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 尻

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

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

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 尻 to You

Let me explain 尻 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 尻 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 尻?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 尻 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 尻

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

body

Semantic (meaning)尸
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 尻?

Decomposition of 尻

IDS Structure⿸尸九
尻Full character
=
尸shi1
enclosing
九jiu3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 尻?

How to say end of spine; buttocks, sacrum in Chinese

“end of spine; buttocks, sacrum” in Chinese is尻kāo

The character 尻 (kāo) refers to the lower back part of the body, specifically the buttocks or tailbone area. It can also describe the rear joint of an animal, particularly in culinary contexts. This term is commonly used in both informal and formal settings when discussing anatomy or cooking.

When to use 尻

Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing kāo, as incorrect tones can lead to misunderstandings. It's often used in informal contexts, but can also appear in medical discussions. Common collocations include 尻部 (kāobù), meaning 'buttocks area', and 尻尾 (shūbiǎo), meaning 'tail' (where the character changes).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 尻 with similar-sounding words, such as 喝 (hē, to drink) due to tonal similarities. Ensure you practice the correct tone to avoid this confusion.

Write 尻

尻

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 尻?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 尻

Words containing this character1
尻kāococcyx

Frequently Asked Questions about 尻

Common phrases include 尻部 (kāobù) for 'buttocks' and 尻尾 (shūbiǎo) for 'tail', which highlight its anatomical significance.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 尻?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab