Definitions

yāo (noun) waist; lower back
yāo (noun) middle; center

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "腰" is structured as a phono-semantic compound combining the flesh radical "肉", which signifies its relation to the body, with the phonetic component "要", guiding its pronunciation and occasionally hinting at the waist's central importance in bodily structure. Originally denoting the physical waist, the term has consistently referred to that part of the human torso between the ribs and hips, with its construction emphasizing a direct link between form and function. While its primary meaning remains anchored in anatomy, historical usage shows a minor metaphorical extension to describe similarly constricted middle sections of various objects, such as landforms or tools, yet these abstract applications have never overshadowed the character's fundamental corporeal sense. Throughout its history, the character's form and core semantic value have remained largely unchanged, reflecting a durable conceptual stability within the language.

Example Sentences Hide

疼得直不起来。

Yāo téng de zhí bù qǐ lái.

My back hurts so much I can't straighten up.

我的部需要按摩。

Wǒ de yāobù xūyào ànmó.

My lower back needs a massage.

他每天锻炼腹力量。

Tā měitiān duànliàn yāo fù lìliàng.

He exercises his core strength every day.

她系了一条漂亮的带。

Tā jì le yī tiáo piàoliang de yāodài.

She is wearing a beautiful belt.

长时间坐着对不好。

Cháng shíjiān zuòzhe duì yāo bù hǎo.

Sitting for long periods is bad for your back.

医生建议他加强部保护。

Yīshēng jiànyì tā jiāqiáng yāobù bǎohù.

The doctor advised him to strengthen the protection of his lower back.

登山时他扭伤了,只好休息。

Dēngshān shí tā niǔshāng le yāo, zhǐhǎo xiūxi.

He sprained his back while mountain climbing and had to rest.

那位舞蹈演员的身非常柔软灵活。

Nà wèi wǔdǎo yǎnyuán de yāoshēn fēicháng róuruǎn línghuó.

That dancer's waist is very soft and flexible.