Meaning Index
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "shoulder", including 背 (bēi / bèi), 肩 (jiān), 膊 (bó). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms…
The English word "shoulder" covers 3 different Chinese characters — 背 (bēi / bèi), 肩 (jiān), 膊 (bó) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 3 characters do not share a sound — their readings span bēi, bèi, jiān, bó — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 背 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
Anchor each of these 3 characters in a word you can picture — start with 背 (bēi / bèi) — so "shoulder" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 3 ways to say "shoulder".
老师让我们背这首古诗。Lǎo shī ràng wǒ men bèi zhè shǒu gǔ shī.The teacher asked us to recite this ancient poem.
Common words: 背后 (bèi hòu)、背景 (bèi jǐng)、背包 (bēi bāo)
爸爸把孩子扛在肩膀上。Bà ba bǎ hái zi káng zài jiān bǎng shàng.Dad carried the child on his shoulders.
Common words: 肩膀 (jiān bǎng)、肩负 (jiān fù)、肩起 (jiān qǐ)
他卷起袖子，露出了结实的胳膊。Tā juǎn qǐ xiù zi, lù chū le jiē shi de gē bo.He rolled up his sleeves, revealing his sturdy arms.
Common words: 胳膊 (gē bo)、肩膊 (jiān bó)、赤膊 (chì bó)
Open 背、肩、膊 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.