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髌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
髌bìnkneecapn, 19 strokes, radical 骨, rank #77471, Very Hard
髌bìnkneecappingunknown, 19 strokes, radical 骨, rank #77471, Very Hard
髌bìnto cut or smash the kneecaps as corporal punishmentunknown, 19 strokes, radical 骨, rank #77471, Very Hard
bìn(bin4) T4
  1. 1kneecap
  2. 2kneecapping
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

髌(髕)bìn(bin4)

The character 髌 (bìn) refers to the kneecap, the small bone that protects the knee joint. It is used in medical contexts, anatomy discussions, and can also describe acts of kneecapping, which is a form of corporal punishment. This term is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in more specialized discussions.

Strokes19Radical骨Frequency#77471DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the knee is considered an important joint related to the flow of Qi, and injuries to this area can affect overall health. The term 髌 connects to discussions about both physical health and martial practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'bin' (sounds like 'bìn') where you keep all your knee-related items. Picture a large kneecap sitting in this bin, emphasizing its importance in protecting your knees and allowing movement.

Meanings of 髌

bìn(bin4)
1kneecap
2kneecapping
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 髌

髌Simplified
髕Traditional
19Strokes
骨Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 髌

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Podcast: 髌

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AI Study Notes for 髌

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using this term, as it carries a serious connotation when referring to corporal punishment. It is not commonly used in informal conversations, so ensure the context is appropriate. Common collocations include medical terms related to knee injuries or anatomy.

HSK Study Tips

While 髌 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your medical vocabulary at higher levels. Focus on related terms like 腿 (leg) and 膝 (knee) to build a more comprehensive understanding of anatomy-related language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 髌 with 膝, mistakenly using 髌 when they mean the knee joint itself. For example, saying '我摔倒了，髌受伤了' is incorrect if referring to the knee; it should be '膝受伤了'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 髌

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Etymology of 髌

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

bone

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 髌

  1. 1The meaning half骨 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half宾 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 髌? 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 髌?

Decomposition of 髌

IDS Structure⿰骨宾
髌Full Character
=
骨gu3
left
宾bin1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 髌?

How to say kneecap in Chinese

“kneecap” in Chinese is髌bìn

The character 髌 (bìn) refers to the kneecap, the small bone that protects the knee joint. It is used in medical contexts, anatomy discussions, and can also describe acts of kneecapping, which is a form of corporal punishment. This term is less commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in more specialized discussions.

When to use 髌

Be cautious when using this term, as it carries a serious connotation when referring to corporal punishment. It is not commonly used in informal conversations, so ensure the context is appropriate. Common collocations include medical terms related to knee injuries or anatomy.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 髌 with 膝, mistakenly using 髌 when they mean the knee joint itself. For example, saying '我摔倒了，髌受伤了' is incorrect if referring to the knee; it should be '膝受伤了'.

Write 髌

髌

Practice writing 髌 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 髌

Words Containing This Character2
髌骨kneecap髕骨
髌bìnkneecapping髕
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 髌骨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 髌

You can say '我的髌骨受伤了' (My kneecap is injured).

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 髌?

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.