Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

背骨 (せぼね) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

背せ骨ぼね

せ

ぼ

ね

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

spine; backbone; spinal column

Refers to the physical spine or backbone in humans and animals. Also used figuratively for the core or backbone of something.

猫ねこの背せ骨ぼねをそっと撫なでた。
I gently stroked the cat's spine.
この計けい画かくの背せ骨

ぼね

と

なる

部ぶ

分ぶん

を

説せつ

明めい

し

ます

。

I will explain the part that forms the backbone of this plan.

Written forms

背せ骨ぼねUsage99%
Standard kanji spelling; high priority.
せぼねUsage1%
脊せ骨ぼねUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Kanji

背stature, height, back
骨skeleton, bone, remains
脊stature, height, spine

Similar words

脊せき椎つい
脊椎 is a more technical, medical term for the spine or vertebra, while 背骨 is the everyday word.

Etymology

Compound of 背 (se, 'back') and 骨 (hone, 'bone'), with rendaku voicing of hone to bone. The kanji 脊 is an alternative character for 'spine' but is rarely used in modern Japanese.