Hiza

Hiza is a Japanese noun meaning "knee." It is written with the kanji 膝 and read hiza in Japanese, or ひざ in kana. The term denotes the knee as a body part and is used in everyday speech as well as medical and anatomical contexts. The knee joint is commonly referred to in Japanese as 膝関節 (hiza kansetsu).

In addition to its anatomical meaning, hiza appears in martial arts vocabulary. For example, hiza-geri (膝蹴り) is a knee strike used in karate and other disciplines. The word also occurs in phrases describing bending, kneeling, or knee-related movement, though such usage is more technical or descriptive than everyday.

Beyond its linguistic use, hiza is primarily recognized as the Japanese word for knee. Its presence is most evident in Japanese-language education, media, and medical terminology related to movement and joint function. See also: knee; 膝.