How to say 'Waist' or 'Lower back' in Japanese | 腰

Wondering how to say 'Waist' or 'Lower back' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Waist or Lower back is 'Koshi', written as 腰 in Japanese.'Waist' or 'Lower back' in hiragana is こし.

word

腰

Meaning

Waist, Lower back

Reading

こし

koshi

Kanji

腰Loins, Waist

Explanation

The Japanese noun '腰 (こし)' primarily refers to the 'waist' or 'lower back' area of the body. It is commonly used in both physical and metaphorical contexts. For example, it can describe the physical part of the body, as in: my waist hurts「腰が痛い」(こしがいたい). It can also be used metaphorically to describe someone's resolve or determination, as in: he has a strong will「彼は腰が強い」(かれはこしがつよい). Additionally, '腰' is often used in idiomatic expressions, such as '腰を据える (こしをすえる)', which means 'to settle down' or 'to focus on something seriously'.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

916

Composition

kanji

Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 腰

This word contains 1 kanji character:

kanji

腰

Meaning

Loins, Waist

Words Related to 腰 Through the Kanji 腰

These 2 Words contain the Kanji 腰 as well.

word

腰掛ける

Meaning

Sit

word

腰掛け

Meaning

Stool

Learn the Word 腰

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What does 'Koshi' (腰) mean?

'Koshi' means 'Waist' or 'Lower back' .

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