Meaning

Primary

Turtle Shell

Alternatives

Instep, Back Of The Hand

Word Type

noun

Explanation

The kanji and the word are exactly the same. That means they share meanings as well.

has traditionally meant turtle shell, but these days it appears much more often in expressions like 足の甲 (instep) and 手の甲 (back of the hand). If you think about it, those body parts kind of resemble turtle shells, don’t you think?

Reading

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

Explanation

This word is made up of a single kanji, but it uses the on'yomi reading, not the kun'yomi reading. Luckily, you've learned this reading already. Yay!

Context

Context Sentences

左足の甲にタトゥーを入れました。

I got a tattoo on my left instep.

Kanji Composition