Meaning

Primary

Body

Alternatives

Oneself, Animal Flesh

Word Type

noun

Explanation

The kanji is somebody, but the word is body. I guess somebody is somebody's body, so they are similar at least. It also refers to animal flesh sometimes, meaning the non-bone edible parts of animals, including seafood. It's the "mi" in sashimi!

Wonder about the difference between and ? refers to physical human and animal bodies, often describing their condition, appearance, etc. While 身 can also mean "physical human body," it can also refer to the self as an individual and be used to indicate one’s social standing or position. That's why you might see used in idiomatic phrases like 身につく, which refers to acquiring or mastering something, like a skill.

Reading

  • Kyoko
    (Tokyo accent, female)
  • Kenichi
    (Tokyo accent, male)

Explanation

Since this word is made up of a single kanji, it probably uses the kun'yomi reading. You did not learn this reading, so here's a mnemonic to help you to remember: Who is that somebody? Who is that body? Why, of course it is me ().

Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 自由の身

    free person

    自分の身

    one's own body

    とらわれの身

    captive

Context Sentences

会社を首にされ、身も心もズタズタです。

Because of my layoff, physically and mentally I'm torn apart.

フグは白身の魚です。

Blowfish are a white-fleshed fish.

その時、母は金のブレスレットを身につけてました。

At that time, my mother had a gold bracelet on.

Kanji Composition