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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) T1
  1. 1end of spine; buttocks, sacrum
  2. 2coccyx
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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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 尻

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

Podcast: 尻

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Podcast: 尻

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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

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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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 尻

  1. 1The meaning half尸 carries the sense.
  2. 2The giveawaybody
  3. 3On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 尻? 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 尻?

Decomposition of 尻

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

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Word Family of 尻

Words Containing This Character1
尻kāococcyx
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 尻 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 尻

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

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