Definitions
(noun)
leg
Etymology
Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 退 represents the sound.
About
The character "腿" for "leg" is a relatively late formation in the history of Chinese writing, constructed from the semantic component "月" (a form of the flesh radical indicating the body) and the phonetic component "退" which suggests both sound and a conceptual link to the idea of retreating or moving backward. Its etymological origin lies in the older and more general word "脚", which historically referred to the entire lower limb, with "腿" emerging to specify the part above the ankle, particularly the thigh. Over centuries, the meaning of "腿" expanded to encompass the entire leg from hip to foot, while "脚" gradually narrowed to refer specifically to the foot, a shift that solidified the distinct roles of the two characters in modern usage.
Example Sentences Hide
我的腿有点疼。
他每天锻炼腿。
大象的腿很粗。
我跑步时腿累了。
她坐在椅子上翘着腿。
运动员的腿肌肉很发达。
因为昨天爬山，我的腿现在还很酸。
在寒冷的冬天，要注意腿部保暖。