膝の皿

Japanese

Kanji in this term
膝	皿
ひざ Grade: S	さら Grade: 3
kun'yomi

Etymology

Compound of 膝 (hiza, “knee”) +‎ の (no, possessive particle: 's) +‎ 皿 (sara, “dish, plate”), from the shape of the bone.

Noun

膝(ひざ)の皿(さら) • (hiza no sara) 

1. (anatomy) the kneecap, the patella

Usage notes

Both 膝の皿 (hiza no sara) and 膝皿 (hiza sara) are in use in modern Japanese, with 膝の皿 (hiza no sara) used more frequently. The term 膝蓋骨 (shitsugaikotsu) is somewhat more technical, a bit like English patella compared to kneecap.

Synonyms

• 膝蓋骨(しつがいこつ) (shitsugaikotsu)
• 膝皿(ひざさら) (hiza sara)
• 膝頭(ひざがしら) (hizagashira)

Idioms

• 膝(ひざ)の皿(さら)から火(ひ)が出(で)る (hiza no sara kara hi ga deru): "fire comes out of one's kneecaps" → To be extremely down and out.
• 膝(ひざ)の皿(さら)に火(ひ)が付(つ)く (hiza no sara ni hi ga tsuku): "one's kneecaps catch on fire" → To be extremely down and out.