How to say "ankle" in Japanese

• 足首あしくびCommon
  nounThe everyday word for the ankle as a body part, covering the whole joint area between the lower leg and the foot. Use this in most ordinary contexts, such as describing an injury or where a sock sits.
  滑すべって足首あしくびを捻挫ねんざした。↗

  I slipped and twisted my ankle.
• アンクル
  nounA loanword glossed simply as ankle. It is less common than 足首 and typically appears in imported contexts such as fashion or sports terminology, so it is seldom the word you want in ordinary conversation about the body.
• くるぶし
  nounRefers specifically to the ankle bone, the bony bump on either side of the ankle (the malleolus), rather than the ankle area generally. Usually written in kana, and less common than 足首.
  丈たけの長ながいコートは、ほとんどくるぶしまで届とどいていた。↗

  He was wearing a long black coat that reached almost to his ankles.
• 足関節あしかんせつ
  nounLiterally the foot joint; a technical term for the ankle as an anatomical joint. It suits medical or clinical discussion of the joint itself and is not the usual everyday way to refer to the ankle.

Use 足首 for the ankle in everyday speech; 「くるぶし」 for the bony protrusion, 「アンクル」 as a loanword mainly in fashion or sports contexts, and 足関節 for the anatomical or medical joint.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 足首あしくびankle
• アンクルankle
• くるぶしankle
• 足関節あしかんせつfoot joint