手指

• Pinyin: shǒu zhǐ
• Hanzi breakdown: 手 = pictograph of a hand; 指 = 扌 (hand) + 旨 (purpose, phonetic)

Meaning

Finger. Refers to any of the five digits on the human hand.

The general term for fingers. Individual fingers have specific names: 大拇指 (thumb), 食指 (index finger), 中指 (middle finger), 无名指 (ring finger), 小指 (little finger).

Examples

1. 她的手指又细又长，很适合弹钢琴。 Her fingers are thin and long, very suitable for playing the piano.
2. 他不小心切到了手指。 He accidentally cut his finger.
3. 小宝宝喜欢吃自己的手指。 Babies like to suck their own fingers.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, medical

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我的手指被纸割了一下。(I got a paper cut on my finger.)
• 她用手指指着地图上的位置。(She pointed at the location on the map with her finger.)

Don't Say

• 他的脚手指很长。(Don't use 手指 for toes — use 脚趾 instead. 手指 is only for fingers on the hand.)

Origin & History

手 (hand) + 指 (to point/finger). The character 指 itself contains the hand radical 扌, reinforcing the body-part meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal