手臂

• Pinyin: shǒu bì
• Hanzi breakdown: 手 = a pictograph of a hand; 臂 = 月 + 辟 (flesh component + to open/split — the arm as a limb extending from the body)

Meaning

Arm. The upper limb of the human body from shoulder to wrist, or more specifically the upper arm.

The standard anatomical and everyday term for the arm. In spoken Chinese, 胳膊 (gēbo) is more colloquial and common in northern dialects, while 手臂 is more formal and literary. Used frequently in medical descriptions, physical actions, and figurative expressions (张开手臂 — to open one's arms, i.e. to embrace). Contrast: 上臂 (upper arm — from shoulder to elbow); 前臂 (forearm — from elbow to wrist); 胳膊 (arm — colloquial).

Examples

1. 骨科医生通过X光片确认患者右侧手臂在肘关节以上约三厘米处存在螺旋形骨折，建议以石膏固定六周并配合专项康复训练恢复正常活动能力。 An orthopedist confirmed on an X-ray that the patient had a spiral fracture in the right arm about three centimeters above the elbow, and recommended six weeks of casting along with targeted rehab to restore normal function.
2. 自由泳入水时，手臂的延伸角度和时机决定划水效率，初学者常因入水过早而削弱推进力。 In freestyle, the angle and timing of the arm extension when entering the water determine stroke efficiency; beginners often enter too early and reduce their propulsion.
3. 他站在港口的堤坝上，张开双臂面向宽阔的海面，感受着从海上吹来的凛冽劲风拂过手臂的触感，心中涌起一种久违的辽阔与自由。 Standing on the breakwater at the harbor, he spread his arms toward the vast sea, feeling the biting wind brush past his arms, and a long-missed sense of openness and freedom rose in his chest.

Usage Guide

Context: anatomy, medicine, sports, daily life, literature

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 上肢损伤病历应区分手臂各部位，注明上臂、肘、前臂或腕部，便于会诊和治疗。(Medical records for upper-limb injuries should distinguish the arm's parts, noting whether the site is the upper arm, elbow, forearm, or wrist, so consultation and treatment are easier.)
• 芭蕾教学中，手臂线条与腿部技巧同样重要，教师会从入门起训练延伸感、角度和躯干协调。(In ballet teaching, the line of the arms is as important as leg technique, and teachers train extension, angle, and torso coordination from the beginning.)

Don't Say

• 手臂 in highly informal or northern Chinese vernacular contexts — use 胳膊 (gēbo — arm, colloquial) instead, as 手臂 sounds overly formal or literary in casual everyday speech among native speakers from northern regions; 手臂 is appropriate in medical, written, or formal contexts

Origin & History

手 (hand) + 臂 (arm — 月 flesh/body + 辟 to split open, originally depicting the arm as an appendage of the body)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal