Meanings of 胳膊
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Podcast: 胳膊
Podcast: 胳膊
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AI Study Notes for 胳膊
肩膀 (jiānbǎng) refers to the shoulder, the part of the body connecting the arm to the torso, while 胳膊 (gēbo) specifically denotes the arm itself.
Be cautious with tone; the correct pronunciation is gē (first tone) and bo (neutral tone). Avoid using it in overly formal contexts where you might prefer 手臂 (shǒubì) for 'arm.' Common collocations include '抬胳膊' (tái gēbo - to lift one’s arm) and '用胳膊' (yòng gēbo - to use one's arm).
As an HSK Level 4 word, 胳膊 fits well with other body parts (e.g., 手 shǒu - hand, 腿 tuǐ - leg) that learners should focus on for body-related vocabulary. Practice using it in sentences to describe actions involving the arm.
Learners often confuse 胳膊 with 手臂, thinking they are interchangeable. Remember, 胳膊 is informal, while 手臂 is formal. For example, saying '我摔倒了，胳膊受伤了' (I fell and my arm got hurt) is correct, but in a formal context, you might want to say '手臂受伤了'.
Pronunciation of 胳膊
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Component Characters
How to say arm in Chinese
“arm” in Chinese is胳膊
胳膊 (gēbo) refers to the arm, specifically the part of the body between the shoulder and the elbow. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe physical activities, gestures, or injuries related to the arm. This term is informal and often found in everyday conversation.
When to use 胳膊
Be cautious with tone; the correct pronunciation is gē (first tone) and bo (neutral tone). Avoid using it in overly formal contexts where you might prefer 手臂 (shǒubì) for 'arm.' Common collocations include '抬胳膊' (tái gēbo - to lift one’s arm) and '用胳膊' (yòng gēbo - to use one's arm).
胳膊 or something close to it
肩膀 (jiānbǎng) refers to the shoulder, the part of the body connecting the arm to the torso, while 胳膊 (gēbo) specifically denotes the arm itself.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 胳膊 with 手臂, thinking they are interchangeable. Remember, 胳膊 is informal, while 手臂 is formal. For example, saying '我摔倒了，胳膊受伤了' (I fell and my arm got hurt) is correct, but in a formal context, you might want to say '手臂受伤了'.
Write 胳膊
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Practice writing 胳膊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 胳膊
胳膊 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他划亮一根火柴，伸长____举着。
He struck a match, and held it at arm's length.
Example Sentences for 胳膊 (10)
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Frequently Asked Questions about 胳膊
No, 胳膊 is more commonly used in informal contexts. In formal writing, you might prefer 手臂.
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