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胳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
胳gēarms; armpitzg, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #49851, Very Hard
gē(ge1) T1
  1. 1arms; armpit
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 胳

胳Simplified
肐Traditional
10Strokes
⺼Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#49851Frequency Rank

Podcast: 胳

JasonAmy

Podcast: 胳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 胳

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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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Etymology of 胳

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

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 各 represents the sound. Simplified form of 肐.

Memory Hint

flesh

Semantic (meaning)⺼
+
Phonetic (sound)各
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 胳?

Decomposition of 胳

IDS Structure⿰⺼各
胳Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
各ge4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 胳?

Write 胳

胳

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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

Complete the Sentence

他划亮一根火柴，伸长____膊举着。

He struck a match, and held it at arm's length.

Common Confusions with 胳

胳vs格
gé

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

胳vs隔
gé

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "arms; armpit"?

or

Example Sentences for 胳 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他划亮一根火柴，伸长胳膊举着。

tā huá liàng yī gēn huǒ chái， ， shēn cháng gē bó jǔ。

He struck a match, and held it at arm's length.
2
坐立时，把胳膊肘靠在扶手上。

zuò lì shí， ， bǎ gē bó zhǒu kào zài fú shǒu。

When you are sitting, keep your elbow on the arm rest.
3
他们惬意地躺在沙发上，胳膊搭在后面。

tā mén qiè yì dì tǎng zài shā fā shàng， ， gē bó dā zài hòu。

They sprawl at ease across the sofa, arms draped over the back.
4
我在胳肢他，他哈哈哈、咯咯咯地笑个不停。

wǒ zài gē zhī tā， ， tā hā hā、 hā 、 kǎ kǎ kǎ dì xiào gè。

I was tickling him, and he was laughing and giggling.
5
两个女孩挽着胳膊，一道趟过了泥浆。

liǎng gè nǚ hái wǎn zháo gē bó， ， yī dào tàng guò le ní。

The two girls joined arms and sloshed through the mud together.
6
她打了个滚，然后用胳膊肘把自己撑了起来。

tā dǎ le gè gǔn， ， rán hòu yòng gē bó zhǒu bǎ zì jǐ chēng le qǐ。

She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows.
7
你会康复的。X光照片显示你的胳膊能够较好地复原。

nǐ huì kāng fù de。X 。X guāng zhào piàn xiǎn shì nǐ de gē bó néng gòu jiào hǎo dì fù。

You'll mend. The X-rays show that your arm will heal all right.
8
他下意识地抓住她的胳膊想挽留她。

tā xià yì shí dì zhuā zhù tā de gē bó xiǎng wǎn liú tā。

He caught her arm in a subconscious attempt to detain her.
9
埃米举起胳膊挥挥手。“再见，”她喊道。

āi mǐ jǔ qǐ gē bó huī huī shǒu。“ 。“ zài，” jiàn ，” tā。

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 gē bó zhǒu zhī zháo shēn tǐ， ， bié niǔ dì tǎng zài tā páng。

He lay beside her awkwardly, propped on an elbow.

Cultural Notes for 胳

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 胳

Words Containing This Character7
胳膊gēboarm
胳臂arm
胳膊肘elbow
胳gēvariant of 胳[gē]肐
胳肢(dialect) to tickle
胳肢窝armpit胳肢窩
胳膊肘朝外拐the elbow turns the wrong way
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

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.