fùjī: 腹肌 - Abs, Abdominal Muscles, Six-Pack

• Keywords: fùjī, 腹肌, Chinese for abs, Chinese for six-pack, abdominal muscles in Chinese, how to say abs in Chinese, exercise in China, fitness terms Chinese, learn Chinese fitness, 马甲线, mǎjiǎ xiàn.
• Summary: Discover the Chinese word for “abs,” 腹肌 (fùjī), a key term in modern Chinese fitness culture. This comprehensive guide breaks down fùjī into its simple characters, explores its cultural significance from traditional views to the modern obsession with a six-pack, and provides over 10 practical example sentences. Learn how to talk about working out, body image, and abdominal muscles in Chinese like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fù jī
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (but a common term used at intermediate levels and above)
• Concise Definition: The abdominal muscles, often referring to a well-defined “six-pack”.
• In a Nutshell: `腹肌` is the direct and most common way to say “abs” in Chinese. While it is an anatomical term, you'll hear it most often in the context of fitness, exercise, and body aesthetics, much like “abs” or “six-pack” in English. It's the word you use at the gym, with friends, or on social media when talking about your workout goals or someone's physique.

• 腹 (fù): This character means “abdomen” or “belly”. It's composed of the radical 月 (which is a form of 肉 ròu, meaning “flesh” or “meat”) and 复 (fù), which provides the sound. Think of it as the “flesh of the abdomen”.
• 肌 (jī): This character means “muscle”. It also contains the “flesh” radical 月 (ròu) on the left, combined with 几 (jī) on the right, which again gives the character its sound.
• When you combine them, 腹 (fù) + 肌 (jī) literally and logically means “abdomen muscles”.

Historically, the concept of visible, toned `腹肌` was not a mainstream beauty standard in China. In fact, for men, a slightly soft or full belly (sometimes called a “Buddha belly”) could be seen as a sign of prosperity and good fortune, indicating that one had enough wealth to eat well and didn't need to perform manual labor. This traditional view contrasts sharply with the modern, globalized fitness culture that has swept through China's cities. Today, especially among younger generations, having visible `腹肌` is a major fitness goal and a symbol of health, discipline, and attractiveness, heavily promoted on social media platforms like 抖音 (Douyin) and 小红书 (Xiaohongshu). This shift represents a move towards more individualistic ideals of self-improvement and aesthetics. A key cultural distinction is the specific vocabulary that has emerged:

• For men, the goal is often 六块腹肌 (liù kuài fùjī) (a six-pack) or the ultimate 八块腹肌 (bā kuài fùjī) (an eight-pack).
• For women, the desired look is often the 马甲线 (mǎjiǎ xiàn), or “vest line,” which refers to the two vertical lines defining the abdominal muscles, seen as a more slender and athletic look than a bulky six-pack.

`腹肌` is an informal, everyday term used widely in conversations about fitness and appearance.

• At the Gym: People constantly talk about 练腹肌 (liàn fùjī), which means “to train/work on one's abs”.
• Social Media: It's extremely common to see influencers and regular users posting photos of their progress with hashtags like `#腹肌` or `#腹肌挑战` (abs challenge).
• Compliments: You might compliment a friend by saying “哇，你的腹肌好明显！” (Wā, nǐ de fùjī hǎo míngxiǎn!) - “Wow, your abs are so defined!”
• Connotation: The term carries a strong positive connotation, associated with hard work, self-control, and physical appeal.

• Example 1:
  • 他每天都做一百个仰卧起坐来练腹肌。
  • Pinyin: Tā měitiān dōu zuò yìbǎi ge yǎngwòqǐzuò lái liàn fùjī.
  • English: He does 100 sit-ups every day to train his abs.
  • Analysis: This shows the common collocation 练腹肌 (liàn fùjī), meaning “to train abs”.
• Example 2:
  • 为了夏天能穿比基尼，她开始疯狂锻炼腹肌。
  • Pinyin: Wèile xiàtiān néng chuān bǐjīní, tā kāishǐ fēngkuáng duànliàn fùjī.
  • English: In order to wear a bikini in the summer, she started frantically working on her abs.
  • Analysis: This example connects `腹肌` to a common motivation: looking good for a specific season or event.
• Example 3:
  • 你的腹肌是怎么练出来的？太厉害了！
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de fùjī shì zěnme liàn chūlái de? Tài lìhài le!
  • English: How did you get your abs? They're amazing!
  • Analysis: A natural, conversational way to ask for fitness advice and give a compliment. `练出来 (liàn chūlái)` means “to develop through training”.
• Example 4:
  • 很多明星都有让人羡慕的六块腹肌。
  • Pinyin: Hěn duō míngxīng dōu yǒu ràng rén xiànmù de liù kuài fùjī.
  • English: Many celebrities have enviable six-pack abs.
  • Analysis: Highlights the common phrase 六块腹肌 (liù kuài fùjī), “six-pack abs”. `块 (kuài)` is the measure word.
• Example 5:
  • 我昨天练腹肌练得太猛了，今天笑起来肚子都疼。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān liàn fùjī liàn de tài měng le, jīntiān xiào qǐlái dùzi dōu téng.
  • English: I worked out my abs too hard yesterday, now it even hurts my stomach to laugh.
  • Analysis: A relatable and slightly humorous sentence describing the after-effects of a tough workout.
• Example 6:
  • 光做运动不够，想要腹肌显现出来，你还得控制饮食。
  • Pinyin: Guāng zuò yùndòng bú gòu, xiǎngyào fùjī xiǎnxiàn chūlái, nǐ hái děi kòngzhì yǐnshí.
  • English: Just exercising isn't enough; if you want your abs to show, you also have to control your diet.
  • Analysis: `显现出来 (xiǎnxiàn chūlái)` means “to appear” or “to become visible”, a key concept for abs.
• Example 7:
  • 他在社交媒体上晒出了自己的八块腹肌照片。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài shèjiāo méitǐ shàng shài chū le zìjǐ de bā kuài fùjī zhàopiàn.
  • English: He showed off a photo of his eight-pack abs on social media.
  • Analysis: `晒 (shài)` literally means “to sunbathe”, but colloquially means “to show off” or “to post” online. 八块腹肌 (bā kuài fùjī) is the “eight-pack”.
• Example 8:
  • 虽然他很瘦，但是他并没有腹肌。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán tā hěn shòu, dànshì tā bìng méiyǒu fùjī.
  • English: Although he is very skinny, he doesn't have abs.
  • Analysis: This sentence clarifies that being thin doesn't automatically mean having defined abs.
• Example 9:
  • 这个健身教练教的腹肌撕裂者课程非常受欢迎。
  • Pinyin: Zhè ge jiànshēn jiàoliàn jiāo de fùjī sīlièzhě kèchéng fēicháng shòu huānyíng.
  • English: The “Abs Ripper” class taught by this fitness instructor is very popular.
  • Analysis: Shows how `腹肌` is used in the names of workout programs. `腹肌撕裂者 (fùjī sīlièzhě)` is a common name for intense ab workouts.
• Example 10:
  • 拥有清晰的腹肌线条是许多健身爱好者的目标。
  • Pinyin: Yōngyǒu qīngxī de fùjī xiàntiáo shì xǔduō jiànshēn àihàozhě de mùbiāo.
  • English: Having clear abdominal muscle lines is the goal of many fitness enthusiasts.
  • Analysis: `线条 (xiàntiáo)` means “lines” or “contours”, referring to the definition of the muscles.

• Mistake: Using the Wrong Measure Word. A common mistake is to say “一个腹肌 (yí ge fùjī)”. You don't count the abdominal area as one unit with `个 (ge)`. Instead, you refer to it as a set (`腹肌`) or count the individual “packs” using 块 (kuài).
  • Incorrect: ~~我想有一个腹肌。~~ (Wǒ xiǎng yǒu yí ge fùjī.)
  • Correct: 我想练出腹肌。 (Wǒ xiǎng liàn chū fùjī.)
  • Correct: 他有六块腹肌。 (Tā yǒu liù kuài fùjī.)
• Nuance: `腹肌` vs. `马甲线 (mǎjiǎ xiàn)`. While `腹肌` can be used for both men and women, in modern fitness slang, there's a distinction. `腹肌` often implies the blocky “six-pack” look desired by men. For women, the more common and often more desirable term is 马甲线 (mǎjiǎ xiàn), the “vest line,” which refers to the two vertical definition lines on a flat, toned stomach. Using the right term shows a deeper understanding of modern Chinese culture.
• Nuance: Fitness vs. Medical Term. `腹肌` is a layman's term. While perfectly normal, a doctor discussing a specific muscle injury might use more precise anatomical terms like 腹直肌 (fùzhíjī) for the rectus abdominis. For learners, `腹肌` is always the right choice in everyday situations.

• 健身 (jiànshēn) - Fitness; to work out. The general activity one does to get `腹肌`.
• 肌肉 (jīròu) - Muscle. `腹肌` is one type of `肌肉`.
• 马甲线 (mǎjiǎ xiàn) - “Vest line”. A key term for the desired female abdominal definition, distinct from a “six-pack”.
• 人鱼线 (rényú xiàn) - “Mermaid line” or V-line abs. The V-shaped lines of the lower abs, another specific fitness aesthetic goal.
• 锻炼 (duànliàn) - To exercise; to train. A verb often used with `腹肌`.
• 减肥 (jiǎnféi) - To lose weight. Often seen as a necessary step to make `腹肌` visible.
• 身材 (shēncái) - Body shape; figure. Having defined `腹肌` is considered part of a good `身材` in modern standards.
• 仰卧起坐 (yǎngwòqǐzuò) - Sit-up. A common exercise for training `腹肌`.
• 平板支撑 (píngbǎn zhīchēng) - Plank. Another core exercise to build `腹肌`.