Kolení

Kolení (kolení) is a noun used in Czech to refer to the act of kneeling or to the kneeling position. The term is relatively uncommon in everyday Czech, where the verb form kleknout and the noun pokleknutí are more typical for describing kneeling. Kolení is more likely found in descriptive, technical, or literary contexts, and is sometimes treated as a generic nominalization built from the word for the knee (koleno) with the suffix -ení.

Etymology and form: The word appears to be formed from koleno (knee) with the suffix -ení, a pattern used in Czech to denote actions or processes related to a noun. This parallels other -ení formations that describe states or activities, such as sezení (sitting) or psaní (writing). In practice, kolení may appear alongside or as an alternative to pokleknutí in specific texts.

Usage and contexts: In physical culture, kolení can denote the kneeling posture used in drills, certain martial arts stances, or therapeutic and mobility exercises. In religious or ceremonial contexts, kneeling is a gesture of reverence or prayer, commonly expressed with phrases like na kolenou (on one’s knees). In anatomy and medicine, related terms emphasize the knee, as in kolenní kloub (knee joint), with kolení not typically used as a medical noun.

Cultural notes: Kneeling as a gesture varies by tradition, religion, and sport, but the basic posture—contact of one or both knees with the ground—remains consistent and is described in Czech with standard terms such as kleknout, pokleknout, or poklek.

See also: koleno, kolenní, pokleknutí, kleknutí, na kolenou.