ふくらはぎ
ふくらはぎ
noun
calf (of the leg)
1.
calf; calf muscle
The fleshy back part of the lower leg, between the knee and the ankle.
ふくらはぎがつった。
I got a cramp in my calf.
走った後はふくらはぎをストレッチする。
I stretch my calves after running.
長時間座っていると、ふくらはぎがむくむことがある。
Sitting for long periods can cause swelling in the calves.
ふくらはぎ refers to the fleshy back part of the lower leg. Always written in hiragana.
ETYMOLOGY:
From 膨らむ (to swell) + はぎ (脛, shin/lower leg). Named for the rounded, swelling shape of the calf muscle.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- ふくらはぎがつる: to get a calf cramp
- ふくらはぎの筋肉: calf muscles
- ふくらはぎをもむ: to massage the calves
- ふくらはぎをストレッチする: to stretch the calves
- ふくらはぎがむくむ: calves become swollen
HEALTH NOTE:
The calf is sometimes called the 「第二の心臓」 (second heart) in Japanese health discourse, because the calf muscles help pump blood from the legs back to the heart. Calf massage and exercises are commonly recommended for circulation.