How the body bends, reaches, holds and leans, and the parts that do it.
English often makes do with a general verb and a little word after it — get up, bend down, look up — where Japanese has one verb, frequently a compound of two: 立ち上がる, 振り向く, 見上げる. Learn these as single words rather than building them from their parts. Some name ways of sitting that English needs a whole phrase for, such as 正座, kneeling upright on the floor, which is still expected on some formal occasions.
The words
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Verb (27)
しゃがむto squat; to crouchVerbN3
子どもと話すときは、しゃがんで目の高さを合わせる。When I talk to children, I crouch down to their eye level.
しゃがむ bends the knees all the way; かがむ bends the back.
かがむto bend down; to stoopVerbN3
かがんで、床に落ちたボタンを拾った。I bent down and picked up the button that had fallen on the floor.
振り向くto turn round (to look)VerbN3
名前を呼ばれて振り向くと、昔の友達が立っていた。When I heard my name and turned round, an old friend was standing there.
曲げるto bendVerbN3
膝を曲げると痛いので、階段を下りるのがつらい。My knee hurts when I bend it, so going down stairs is hard.
Its partner 曲がる means "to bend" of itself, and to turn a corner.
立ち上がるto stand up; to get to one's feetVerbN3
急に立ち上がったら、少しめまいがした。When I stood up suddenly, I felt a little dizzy.
寝転ぶto lie down (casually); to loungeVerbN3
日曜日は一日中ソファに寝転んで本を読んでいた。On Sunday I lay on the sofa reading all day.
起き上がるto sit up; to get up (from lying down)VerbN3
熱があって、朝はベッドから起き上がれなかった。I had a fever and could not get out of bed in the morning.
組むto cross (arms, legs); to put togetherVerbN3
父は腕を組んで、しばらく考えていた。My father folded his arms and thought for a while.
Also used for crossing one's legs: 足を組む.
抱くto hold in one's armsVerbN3
赤ちゃんを抱くと、すぐに泣きやんだ。As soon as I held the baby, it stopped crying.
With small children, 抱っこする is the everyday word.
抱きしめるto hug; to hold tightVerbN3
空港で、母親は何年ぶりかに会った娘を抱きしめた。At the airport, a mother hugged the daughter she had not seen for years.
腰掛けるto sit down (on a chair or bench)VerbN3
公園のベンチに腰掛けて、少し休んだ。I sat down on a park bench and rested for a while.
Only for sitting on something raised; on the floor, 座る.
持ち上げるto lift (up)VerbN3
この机は重くて、一人では持ち上げられない。This desk is so heavy that one person cannot lift it.
見回すto look aroundVerbN3
電車を降りて周りを見回したが、出口の案内が見つからなかった。I got off the train and looked around, but could not see a sign for the exit.
握るto grip; to hold tightVerbN3
子どもは母親の手をしっかり握っていた。The child was holding its mother's hand tightly.
Also shaping rice by hand; おにぎり comes from this verb.
叩くto hit; to knock; to tapVerbN3
誰かが玄関のドアを叩いている。Someone is knocking at the front door.
Often written in kana. Clapping one's hands is 手を叩く.
撫でるto stroke; to patVerbN3
猫の背中を撫でると、気持ちよさそうに目を閉じた。When I stroked the cat's back, it closed its eyes contentedly.
触るto touchVerbN4
まだ熱いから、鍋に触らないでね。It is still hot, so do not touch the pan.
Takes に: 鍋に触る.
触れるto touch (lightly); to come into contact withVerbN3
展示品には手を触れないでください。Please do not touch the exhibits.
Lighter and more formal than 触る; the word on museum signs.
指差すto point atVerbN3
人を指差すのは失礼だと、子どもの頃に教わった。As a child, I was taught that it is rude to point at people.
挙げるto raise (a hand)VerbN3
質問がある人は、手を挙げてください。Anyone with a question, please raise your hand.
Also written 上げる; 挙げる is preferred for a hand or for giving an example.
踏むto step on; to tread onVerbN3
満員電車で、隣の人の足を踏んでしまった。On the packed train, I trod on the foot of the person next to me.
滑るto slip; to slideVerbN3
雨の日は床が滑りやすいので、気をつけてください。The floor is slippery on rainy days, so please be careful.
Also skiing or skating: スキーで滑る.
つまずくto trip; to stumbleVerbN3
石につまずいて、転びそうになった。I tripped on a stone and nearly fell.
Also to stumble in a plan or in one's studies.
見上げるto look up (at)VerbN3
ビルが高すぎて、見上げていると首が痛くなった。The building was so tall that looking up at it made my neck hurt.
見下ろすto look down (at)VerbN3
丘の上から、夜の町を見下ろした。From the top of the hill, I looked down on the town at night.
覗くto peep; to look inVerbN3
窓から部屋の中を覗いてみたが、誰もいなかった。I peeped into the room through the window, but nobody was there.
Also dropping in briefly: 本屋をちょっと覗く.
寄りかかるto lean (against)VerbN3
疲れていたので、壁に寄りかかって電車を待った。I was tired, so I leaned against the wall while waiting for the train.
Noun (13)
背筋spine; one's back (posture)NounN3
面接では、背筋を伸ばして座りましょう。In an interview, sit up straight.
背筋を伸ばす, "stretch the spine", is how Japanese says sit or stand up straight.
正座sitting formally on one's kneesNounN3
長い時間正座をしていたら、足がしびれてしまった。After kneeling formally for a long time, my legs went numb.
Also a verb: 正座する.
あぐらsitting cross-leggedNounN3
家では、床にあぐらをかいて食事をする。At home, I sit cross-legged on the floor to eat.
Takes the verb かく: あぐらをかく. Less formal than 正座.
握手handshakeNounN3
試合の後、両チームの選手が握手をした。After the match, the players of both teams shook hands.
Also a verb: 握手する.
拍手applause; clappingNounN3
演奏が終わると、会場から大きな拍手が起こった。When the performance ended, loud applause broke out in the hall.
Also a verb: 拍手する.
あくびyawnNounN3
会議の途中で、思わずあくびが出てしまった。A yawn escaped me in the middle of the meeting.
Takes する, or comes out by itself: あくびが出る.
背伸びstretching up; standing on tiptoeNounN3
背伸びをしても、棚の一番上には手が届かない。Even on tiptoe, I cannot reach the top shelf.
Also figurative: trying to seem older or more capable than one is.
肘elbowNounN3
食事のときにテーブルに肘をつくのは、行儀が悪いとされる。Putting your elbows on the table during a meal is considered bad manners.
手首wristNounN3
一日中パソコンを使っていると、手首が痛くなる。Using the computer all day makes my wrists ache.
足首ankleNounN3
走る前に、足首をゆっくり回しておきましょう。Before running, loosen up your ankles by slowly rotating them.
つま先tiptoe; tips of the toesNounN3
赤ちゃんが寝ているので、つま先で静かに歩いた。The baby was asleep, so I walked quietly on tiptoe.
Standing on tiptoe is つま先で立つ.
動作movement; actionNounN3
祖父は年を取って、動作がゆっくりになった。My grandfather has grown old, and his movements have become slow.
Also how a machine or program runs: 動作が遅い.
かかとheelNounN3
新しい靴で一日中歩いたら、かかとが痛くなった。After walking all day in new shoes, my heels hurt.
Also written 踵; also the heel of a shoe.
This list belongs to Body and health — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.
