ふくらはぎ

also: ふくろはぎ

ふ

く

ら

は

ぎ

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

calf (of the leg)

usually written using kana aloneanatomy

Anatomical term for the back part of the lower leg. Commonly used in everyday language.

ランニングの

後あと

、

ふくらはぎ

が

痛いた

い

。

After running, my calves hurt.

彼かの女じょはふくらはぎをマッサージしてもらった。

She had her calves massaged.

Kanji

脹dilate, distend, bulge
脛leg, shin
膨swell, get fat, thick

Don't confuse with

すねN1
すね is the shin on the front of the lower leg, whereas ふくらはぎ is the calf on the back, so learners sometimes mix up which side they mean.
腿ももN1
腿 is the upper leg between hip and knee, while ふくらはぎ is the calf, the back of the lower leg below the knee.

Written forms

ふくらはぎUsage93%
The word is usually written in kana. This is the most common and recommended spelling.
脹脛ふくらはぎUsage4%
Rare kanji form. The first kanji means 'swell' and the second means 'shin', but this spelling is seldom used.
フクラハギUsage2%
脹ふくら脛はぎUsage1%
Rare kanji form with okurigana. Not commonly encountered.

Etymology

The word is a compound of ふくら (swelling) and はぎ (shin), referring to the bulging shape of the calf muscle. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.

ふくら脛はぎ

Usage1%

search-only kanji form

Search-only mixed form; not a standard spelling.

膨ふくら脛はぎ

rarely-used kanji form

Rare kanji form using 膨 (swell). Marked as rarely used.