head, trunk, arms, and legs; the whole body
Archaic term for the four parts of the body (head, trunk, arms, legs) or the body as a whole. Rare in modern Japanese; encountered mainly in classical texts or fixed expressions.
In classical texts, 四体 is used as a general term for the head, torso, both arms, and both legs.
From 四 (four) and 体 (body), referring to the four main parts of the body. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term appears in classical Chinese and Japanese texts.