Japanese symbol for “knee”
膝
ひざ
Romaji: hiza
knee
In Japanese, knee is 膝, read ひざ (hiza).
Before using these characters for a tattoo, check them with a native speaker. Dictionary words often have several meanings, and the right choice depends on context.
Meanings
- n knee
- n lap; knee and thigh (while sitting)
Written forms: 膝. Readings: ひざ、ヒザ.
Kanji and stroke order
Other Japanese words for “knee”
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ニー | ニー nii | knee |
| 小膝 | こひざ kohiza | knee |
| 膝部 | しつぶ shitsubu | knee (region) |
Related words
Words that share a kanji.
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 膝枕 | ひざまくら hizamakura | laying one's head in someone's lap; using someone's lap for a pillow |
| 膝元 | ひざもと hizamoto | near one's knee |
| 膝下 | ひざした hizashita | below the knee |
| 膝蓋骨 | しつがいこつ shitsugaikotsu | kneecap; patella |
| 膝頭 | ひざがしら hizagashira | kneecap |
| 膝栗毛 | ひざくりげ hizakurige | travelling on foot; journeying on foot; hiking |
See also: Chinese symbol for “knee”.
Data: JMdict (CC BY-SA 4.0); KANJIDIC2 (CC BY-SA 4.0); KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0); wordfreq (CC BY-SA 4.0 (data)). Retrieved 2026-10-22.