Japanese

Noun

膝皿 ‎(hiragana ひざさら, romaji hiza sara)

1. (anatomy) The kneecap, the patella.

Usage notes

Both 膝の皿 ‎(hiza no sara) and 膝皿 ‎(hiza sara) are in use in modern Japanese, with 膝の皿 ‎(hiza no sara) used more frequently. The term 膝蓋骨 ‎(shitsugaikotsu) is somewhat more technical, a bit like English patella compared to kneecap.

Synonyms

• 膝蓋骨 (しつがいこつ) ‎(shitsugaikotsu)
• 膝 (ひざ)の皿 (さら) ‎(hizanosara)
• 膝頭 (ひざがしら) ‎(hizagashira)

References

1. ↑ 1988, 国語大辞典（新装版） (Kokugo Dai Jiten, Revised Edition) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan
2. 1 2 3 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
3. ↑ 1995, 大辞泉 (Daijisen) (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, ISBN 4-09-501211-0
4. 1 2 3 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13143-0