筋
muscle, sinew, tendon, fiber, plot, plan, descent
Readings
On'yomi
- キン
Kun'yomi
- すじ
Meaning
筋 centers on the idea of a thread-like structural line: physically, it refers to muscle, sinew, or fiber; abstractly, it extends to a plot, plan, or line of descent—anything that follows a connected, logical thread.
Most common words using 筋
20 of 316- 筋すじN2
muscle; tendon; sinew
- 筋肉きんにくN3
muscle
- 腹筋ふっきんN1
abdominal muscles; abs
- 背筋せすじ
spine; line of the backbone
- 筋力きんりょく
physical strength; muscle strength
- 一筋ひとすじN1
one line; one stretch (e.g. of road); one strand (e.g. of hair); one beam (e.g. of light); one ray; one length (e.g. of rope)
- 血筋ちすじ
lineage; stock; descent; strain; blood relationship
- 売れ筋うれすじ
popular line (of products); best-selling line; hot sellers
- 道筋みちすじ
path; route; itinerary
- 鉄筋てっきんN1
rebar; (iron) reinforcing bar; reinforcing steel
- 心筋梗塞しんきんこうそく
heart attack; myocardial infarction
- 筋合すじあい
reason; right
- 首筋くびすじ
nape of the neck; back of the neck; scruff of the neck
- 大筋おおすじN1
outline; summary; gist; basic points
- 筋肉質きんにくしつ
muscular
- 筋書きすじがき
synopsis; outline; plot
- 心筋しんきん
cardiac muscle; heart muscle; myocardium
- 鉄筋コンクリートてっきんコンクリート
reinforced concrete; ferroconcrete
- 筋金入りすじがねいり
staunch; hardcore; dyed-in-the-wool
- 本筋ほんすじ
main thread (of a story)
Study
Etymology
筋 combines 竹 (bamboo) and 肋 (rib), originally depicting the fibrous, sinewy structure of bamboo and the rib-like lines of the body, together conveying the idea of muscle and sinew.
Meaning mnemonic
Bamboo (竹) is full of strong fibers, and ribs (肋) are surrounded by muscle and sinew. Together they make 筋: the tough, stringy stuff that holds the body together and gives structure to a story.
Reading mnemonic
For キン, imagine a muscle-bound king flexing his sinewy arms: king -> キン, and his muscles are like taut fibers.