# 腰 — lower back; waist

腰 means “lower back; waist”. It is a JLPT N2 kanji written with 13 strokes. On'yomi: ヨウ (you). Kun'yomi: こし (koshi). You'll see it in words such as 腰 (koshi, “lower back; waist”).

- Meaning: lower back; waist
- On'yomi: ヨウ (you)
- Kun'yomi: こし (koshi)
- Strokes: 13
- Level: JLPT N2 · set Body & health 2

## How to remember 腰

Sounds like 要: both read ヨウ.

Parts: 月 moon; flesh · 要 need

## Words with 腰

| Word | Reading | Meaning |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 腰 | こし (koshi) | lower back; waist |

## Don't confuse it with

[婿](https://moji.ninja/n1-kanji/bridegroom/)

## More in the “Body & health 2” set

[胸](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/chest/) · [腕](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/arm/) · [肩](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/shoulder/) · [疲](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/tired/) · [腹](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/belly/) · [乳](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/milk/) · [腰](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/lower-back/) · [眠](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/doze/) · [毒](https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/poison/)

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From Moji Ninja (https://moji.ninja/), a free app for learning hiragana, katakana and the JLPT kanji from N5 to N1 with spaced repetition. Page: https://moji.ninja/n2-kanji/lower-back/. Last updated 2026-11-01.