動脈

• Reading: どうみゃく
• Romaji: doumyaku
• Kanji breakdown: 動 (dou) — move, motion; 脈 (myaku) — pulse, vein, blood vessel
• Pronunciation: /doː.mʲa.kɯ/

Meaning

Artery. A blood vessel that carries oxygenated blood away from the heart to the body.

A noun used in medical and anatomical contexts. The counterpart is 静脈 (joumyaku, vein). Common collocations include 動脈硬化 (arteriosclerosis/hardening of the arteries) and 大動脈 (aorta). While primarily a medical term, 動脈 is widely known among the general public through health education and news.

Examples

1. 動脈硬化は生活習慣病の一つです。 Arteriosclerosis is one of the lifestyle-related diseases.
2. 医師が動脈の血流を調べた。 The doctor checked the blood flow in the arteries.
3. 心臓から動脈を通って全身に血液が送られる。 Blood is sent from the heart through the arteries to the entire body.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, anatomy, health education

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 動 (dou, move) + 脈 (myaku, pulse/vein). Literally 'moving pulse' — arteries were named for their visible pulsation, unlike veins.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal