How to say "forearm" in Japanese

• 小手こてCommon
  nounIn kendo and other martial arts this is the word for the forearm, and it also names the padded gauntlet; outside such contexts it is seldom used for the body part.
• 前腕ぜんわん
  no-adjectiveThe anatomical and medical term for the forearm, the part of the arm between the elbow and the wrist; this is the word to choose for clinical or plainly descriptive writing.
• 前膊ぜんはく
  nounA rarer synonym of 前腕 with the same anatomical sense; its second kanji is an uncommon character, and learners seldom need this word — 前腕 is the safer choice.
• 下膊かはく
  nounA rare synonym of 前腕 for the forearm; like 前膊 it is written with an uncommon kanji and is seldom the word you want — choose 前腕 instead.
• 下腕かわん
  nounThough glossed 'forearm; lower arm', this is a rare word learners are unlikely to need; 前腕 covers the same sense in medical and general description.

Choose 前腕 for the forearm as an anatomical or descriptive term, 小手 in kendo and other martial arts, and treat 前膊, 下膊 and 下腕 as rare synonyms that learners seldom need.

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

• 小手こてforearm
• 前腕ぜんわんforearm
• 前膊ぜんはくforearm
• 下膊かはくforearm
• 下腕かわんforearm