脖子

• Pinyin: bó zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 脖 = 月 (flesh) + 孛 (phonetic), referring to the neck; 子 = nominal suffix

Meaning

Neck. The part of the body connecting the head and shoulders.

A common everyday word for the neck. Used in physical descriptions, medical contexts, and various idioms. 脖子硬 (stiff neck) can metaphorically mean stubborn.

Examples

1. 她戴着一条精致的项链，衬托出修长的脖子。 She wore an exquisite necklace that accentuated her slender neck.
2. 长时间低头看手机，我的脖子又酸又痛。 From looking down at my phone for so long, my neck is sore and achy.
3. 这只长颈鹿的脖子真是太长了，足有两米。 This giraffe's neck is incredibly long — a full two meters.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, body, medical

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你脖子后面有只蚊子。(There's a mosquito on the back of your neck.)
• 按摩一下脖子，能缓解疲劳。(Massaging the neck can relieve fatigue.)

Don't Say

• 在正式医学场合用脖子而不用颈部。(In formal medical contexts, use 颈部 instead of 脖子)

Origin & History

脖 (neck) + 子 (noun suffix). 脖 contains 月 (flesh radical), indicating body part.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal