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胳膊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
胳膊gēboarmHSK 4, n, rank #2740, Hard
胳膊gēbo>只[zhī],條HSK 4, n, rank #2740, Hard
胳膊gēbo>条[tiáo],雙HSK 4, n, rank #2740, Hard
胳膊gēbo>双[shuāng]HSK 4, n, rank #2740, Hard
gēbo(ge1bo5) T1
  1. 1arm
  2. 2>只[zhī],條
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March 24, 2026
胳膊gēbo(ge1bo5)

胳膊 (gēbo) refers to the arm, specifically the part of the body between the shoulder and the elbow. It is commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to describe physical activities, gestures, or injuries related to the arm. This term is informal and often found in everyday conversation.

Frequency#2740DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the health of one's arms can be indicative of overall vitality and energy, often linked to physical work and strength. Knowing how to refer to body parts like 胳膊 is crucial in the context of health discussions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'guy' (sounds like 'ge') holding a 'bow' (sounds like 'bo') with his arm. Visualize the bow being pulled back, emphasizing the use of the arm. The character 胳 combines the radical for 'flesh' (月) indicating it's part of the body, which enhances the connection to its meaning.

Meanings of 胳膊

gēbo(ge1bo5)
1arm
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 胳膊

胳膊Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2740Frequency Rank
只Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 胳膊

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Podcast: 胳膊

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AI Study Notes for 胳膊

Quick Contrast

肩膀 (jiānbǎng) refers to the shoulder, the part of the body connecting the arm to the torso, while 胳膊 (gēbo) specifically denotes the arm itself.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'guy' (sounds like 'ge') holding a 'bow' (sounds like 'bo') with his arm. Visualize the bow being pulled back, emphasizing the use of the arm. The character 胳 combines the radical for 'flesh' (月) indicating it's part of the body, which enhances the connection to its meaning.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tone; the correct pronunciation is gē (first tone) and bo (neutral tone). Avoid using it in overly formal contexts where you might prefer 手臂 (shǒubì) for 'arm.' Common collocations include '抬胳膊' (tái gēbo - to lift one’s arm) and '用胳膊' (yòng gēbo - to use one's arm).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 4 word, 胳膊 fits well with other body parts (e.g., 手 shǒu - hand, 腿 tuǐ - leg) that learners should focus on for body-related vocabulary. Practice using it in sentences to describe actions involving the arm.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the health of one's arms can be indicative of overall vitality and energy, often linked to physical work and strength. Knowing how to refer to body parts like 胳膊 is crucial in the context of health discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 胳膊 with 手臂, thinking they are interchangeable. Remember, 胳膊 is informal, while 手臂 is formal. For example, saying '我摔倒了，胳膊受伤了' (I fell and my arm got hurt) is correct, but in a formal context, you might want to say '手臂受伤了'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 胳膊

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Component Characters

胳gēarms; armpit
10 strokes⺼
View full entry
膊bóshoulder
14 strokes⺼
View full entry

Write 胳膊

胳
膊

Practice writing 胳膊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 胳膊

胳膊 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他划亮一根火柴，伸长____举着。

He struck a match, and held it at arm's length.

Example Sentences for 胳膊 (10)

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1
他划亮一根火柴，伸长胳膊举着。

tā huá liàng yī gēn huǒ chái， ， shēn cháng gē bó jǔ。

He struck a match, and held it at arm's length.
2
坐立时，把胳膊肘靠在扶手上。

zuò lì shí， ， bǎ gē bó zhǒu kào zài fú shǒu。

When you are sitting, keep your elbow on the arm rest.
3
他们惬意地躺在沙发上，胳膊搭在后面。

tā mén qiè yì dì tǎng zài shā fā shàng， ， gē bó dā zài hòu。

They sprawl at ease across the sofa, arms draped over the back.
4
两个女孩挽着胳膊，一道趟过了泥浆。

liǎng gè nǚ hái wǎn zháo gē bó， ， yī dào tàng guò le ní。

The two girls joined arms and sloshed through the mud together.
5
她打了个滚，然后用胳膊肘把自己撑了起来。

tā dǎ le gè gǔn， ， rán hòu yòng gē bó zhǒu bǎ zì jǐ chēng le qǐ。

She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows.
6
你会康复的。X光照片显示你的胳膊能够较好地复原。

nǐ huì kāng fù de。X 。X guāng zhào piàn xiǎn shì nǐ de gē bó néng gòu jiào hǎo dì fù。

You'll mend. The X-rays show that your arm will heal all right.
7
他下意识地抓住她的胳膊想挽留她。

tā xià yì shí dì zhuā zhù tā de gē bó xiǎng wǎn liú tā。

He caught her arm in a subconscious attempt to detain her.
8
埃米举起胳膊挥挥手。“再见，”她喊道。

āi mǐ jǔ qǐ gē bó huī huī shǒu。“ 。“ zài，” jiàn ，” tā。

Amy lifted her arm to wave. "Goodbye," she called.
9
他用一只胳膊肘支着身体，别扭地躺在她旁边。

tā yòng yī zhī gē bó zhǒu zhī zháo shēn tǐ， ， bié niǔ dì tǎng zài tā páng。

He lay beside her awkwardly, propped on an elbow.
10
她揉了揉胳膊，感觉很疼就停下了。

tā róu le róu gē bó， ， gǎn jué hěn téng jiù tíng xià。

She rubbed her arms, but they hurt and she desisted.

Cultural Notes for 胳膊

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, the health of one's arms can be indicative of overall vitality and energy, often linked to physical work and strength. Knowing how to refer to body parts like 胳膊 is crucial in the context of health discussions.

Frequently Asked Questions about 胳膊

No, 胳膊 is more commonly used in informal contexts. In formal writing, you might prefer 手臂.