Explore 腕 as a body part and as a metaphor for skill. Learn each reading with a complete word.
The idea
腕 has 12 strokes; follow the linked diagram. 腕 is read うで as a word, while 上腕 is じょうわん. 腕がいい means skilled, and 腕を磨く means to improve a skill.
Examples
- 右の腕を上げました。I raised my right arm.
- 重いかばんを運んで、腕が痛いです。My arm hurts after carrying a heavy bag.
- あの料理人は腕がいいです。That chef is skilled.
- 料理の腕を磨きたいです。I want to improve my cooking skills.
- 彼女は腕を組んで考えました。She folded her arms and thought.
- 医者は私の上腕を測りました。The doctor measured my upper arm.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
腕 refers to the arm, but in 腕がいい it describes ability, not the body. Learn the expression as a whole.
Try it yourself
Write the reading of 腕 in hiragana.
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うで
腕 is うで, as in 右の腕, the right arm.
Write the reading of 上腕 in hiragana.
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じょうわん
上腕 is じょうわん, the upper arm; the compound uses わん.
Choose the missing kanji: 上＿（じょうわん）［腕／足］.
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腕
腕 completes 上腕, pronounced じょうわん and meaning upper arm.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
Write the reading of 腕 in hiragana.
Write the reading of 上腕 in hiragana.
Choose the missing kanji: 上＿（じょうわん）［腕／足］.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Write 腕 using the diagram, then make one sentence about an arm and one about a skill.