关节

關節
guānjié
noun HSK 7 #8,013

Meanings

  1. 1 joint (anatomy)
  2. 2 key point; crux

Characters

Literally 'connecting node' — where two bones meet, or figuratively, a crucial point.

Examples

Wǒ de xī guānjié yǒudiǎn téng.
My knee joint is a bit sore.
Guānjiéyán zài lǎoniánrén zhōng hěn chángjiàn.
Arthritis is very common among the elderly.

Tips

usage
关节 can be used figuratively to mean 'crucial point' or 'crux of the matter,' though this usage is more literary. In everyday speech, it's almost always about body joints — 关节炎 (guānjiéyán, arthritis) is one of the most common collocations.

Stroke Order

guān
jié