腋 (yè) - Armpit — the hollow under the arm at & axilla

腋Tone 4

yè ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

嬿一

腋 · yè

Armpit — the hollow under the arm at the shoulder;

axilla;

also refers to something located in a secondary or lateral position.

Armpit — the hollow under the arm ataxillaalso refers to something located in a secondary

Usage highlights

ArmpitUnderarmArmpit hairAxillary lymph nodesAxillary nerveHold under the arm

Synonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He applied deodorant to his armpits (腋窝).
  • The doctor checked for swollen lymph nodes in the axilla (腋下).
  • The book was tucked under his arm (腋下夹着书).
  • Axillary hair (腋毛) is a normal part of development.

Collocations

  • Armpit(腋窝)
  • Underarm(腋下)
  • Armpit hair(腋毛)
  • Axillary lymph nodes(腋下淋巴结)
  • Axillary nerve(腋神经)
  • Hold under the arm(夹在腋下)

Idioms

  • Hairs standing from armpits to heels (怒发冲冠，毛骨悚然) — extreme fear or anger
  • To have a fox in one's armpit (腋下藏狐) — to harbor a traitor or dangerous person
  • Gather from armpits to form a fur coat (集腋成裘) — many small contributions make something big

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, the armpit area is associated with certain acupuncture points and meridians.
  • The character appears in the idiom '集腋成裘' which emphasizes the value of accumulating small things to achieve something significant.
  • Considered a somewhat private body part, direct reference in formal contexts is usually avoided.

FAQ