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髖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
髖kuānhip, pelvisx, 25 strokes, radical 骨
kuān(kuan1) T1
  1. 1hip, pelvis
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

髖kuān(kuan1)

The character 髖 (kuān) refers specifically to the hip or pelvis area of the body. It is commonly used in medical or anatomical contexts, often relating to discussions about health, exercise, or injuries involving the hips. Understanding this term is essential for those studying anatomy or engaging in physical activities that involve hip movement.

Strokes25Radical骨
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the health of the hips and pelvis is often linked to overall body balance and mobility. Many exercises, such as Tai Chi, emphasize hip movement for maintaining good health and flexibility.

Memory Tip

Think of 髖 as having the radical 髟 (hair) on top, suggesting that the hips are often where movement and flexibility (like a flowing hairstyle) occur. The bottom part resembles a person with their legs apart, emphasizing the hip area. Picture someone stretching their hips during a dance, making it easier to remember.

Meanings of 髖

kuān(kuan1)
1hip, pelvis
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 髖

髖Simplified
25Strokes
骨Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 髖

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Podcast: 髖

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AI Study Notes for 髖

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 髖 with other similar-sounding terms related to parts of the body, such as 腰 (yāo, waist). This character is more formal and specific; using it in casual conversation might sound overly technical. Common collocations include 髖关节 (hip joint) and 髖部 (hip area).

HSK Study Tips

Although 髖 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it is beneficial for HSK learners aiming for higher proficiency, particularly in medical or health-related contexts. Students should focus on its pronunciation and usage in sentences involving body parts or health discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 髖 with 腰 (yāo) due to the similarity in body part references. For example, saying 髖 instead of 腰 when referring to the waist is incorrect; the correct usage would be 腰部 (waist area).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 髖

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Etymology of 髖

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

Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 宽 represents the sound. Simplified form of 髖.

Memory Hint

bone

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 髖

Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 宽 represents the sound. Simplified form of 髖.

  1. 1The meaning half骨 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half寬 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 髖? 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 髖?

Decomposition of 髖

IDS Structure⿰骨寬
髖Full Character
=
骨gu3
left
寬kuan1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 髖?

How to say hip, pelvis in Chinese

“hip, pelvis” in Chinese is髖kuān

The character 髖 (kuān) refers specifically to the hip or pelvis area of the body. It is commonly used in medical or anatomical contexts, often relating to discussions about health, exercise, or injuries involving the hips. Understanding this term is essential for those studying anatomy or engaging in physical activities that involve hip movement.

When to use 髖

Be careful not to confuse 髖 with other similar-sounding terms related to parts of the body, such as 腰 (yāo, waist). This character is more formal and specific; using it in casual conversation might sound overly technical. Common collocations include 髖关节 (hip joint) and 髖部 (hip area).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 髖 with 腰 (yāo) due to the similarity in body part references. For example, saying 髖 instead of 腰 when referring to the waist is incorrect; the correct usage would be 腰部 (waist area).

Write 髖

髖

Practice writing 髖 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 髖

Words Containing This Character3
髋kuānpelvis髖
髋关节pelvis髖關節
髋骨hip bone髖骨
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 髋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 髖

It is pronounced as 'kuān'.

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