Japanese kanji 骨: bones, fractures and effort

The idea

骨 has 10 strokes; follow the linked stroke-order diagram. It is read ほね as a standalone word and こつ in compounds such as 骨折（こっせつ） and 骨格（こっかく）.

Examples

• 犬いぬが骨ほねをかんでいます。The dog is chewing a bone.
• 腕うでの骨ほねを折おりました。I broke a bone in my arm.
• 医者いしゃは骨折こっせつだと言いいました。The doctor said it was a fracture.
• 魚さかなの骨ほねは細ほそいです。Fish bones are thin.
• 授業じゅぎょうで骨格こっかくを学まなびました。We studied the skeleton in class.
• 引ひっ越こしはとても骨ほねが折おれます。Moving house takes a lot of effort.

Watch out

骨折 means a fracture, while 骨が折れる can mean that something takes considerable effort. The same expression can also describe a bone actually breaking; context decides.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 骨 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   ほね

   骨 is read ほね when used as a word meaning bone.

2. Write the reading of 骨折 in hiragana.

   Show answer or example answer

   こっせつ

   骨折 is read こっせつ; the small っ marks a pause before せつ.

3. Choose the missing kanji: 骨＿（こっせつ）［折／近］.

   Show answer or example answer

   折

   折 completes 骨折, a fracture. The compound is read こっせつ.

Use it today

Write 骨 following the diagram. Cover the table, read 骨 and 骨折, then make a sentence with 骨が折れる.