Meaning
臓 (zō) names the vital organs housed deep inside the body — the heart, liver, kidneys, stomach, and more. It appears almost entirely in medical and anatomical vocabulary, nearly always paired with another kanji to pinpoint a specific organ or system.
The structure tells the story. On the left, 月 is a reshaped version of 肉 ("flesh" or "meat"). Whenever 肉 sits on the left side of a character, it slims down into this 月 form and signals a connection to the body. On the right, 蔵 lends the pronunciation and a second layer of meaning: 蔵 is a storehouse or warehouse. Put them together and 臓 becomes the flesh that stores — the internal compartment where the body's essential machinery lives.
With 18 strokes, 臓 ranks among the more demanding kanji to write. It belongs to the Jouyou (general-use) list and is a priority item for JLPT N2, where medical and biological vocabulary carry real weight.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
ゾウ (ZŌ) is the only on'yomi, and it almost never stands alone. 臓 works as a building block: attach it to another kanji and you get the name of a specific organ or a clinical concept.
- 内臓 (naizō) — internal organs (general term). The everyday word for everything inside the abdominal cavity. Extended in 内臓脂肪 (naizō shibō), "visceral fat."
- 心臓 (shinzō) — heart. Literally "mind organ." Common in compounds like 心臓病 (shinzōbyō), "heart disease."
- 肝臓 (kanzō) — liver. Appears in 肝臓移植 (kanzō ishoku), "liver transplant," and 肝臓病 (kanzōbyō), "liver disease."
- 腎臓 (jinzō) — kidney. Standard in medical contexts: 腎臓病 (jinzōbyō), "kidney disease."
- 膵臓 (suizō) — pancreas. The gland behind the stomach that produces both digestive enzymes and insulin.
- 脾臓 (hizō) — spleen. Filters blood and supports immune function.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
臓 has no kun'yomi. Study it through its compounds rather than as a standalone word.
Common Words & Compounds
General Terms
- 臓器 (zōki) — internal organs (the clinical term favored in medical writing and formal contexts).
- 内臓 (naizō) — internal organs, viscera (slightly broader and more common in everyday speech).
- 臓腑 (zōfu) — viscera (formal or literary; found in traditional medicine and set phrases).
- 五臓六腑 (gozōroppu) — every organ in the body. Literally "five viscera and six entrails," this idiom covers the whole internal works. Used to express something deeply satisfying — as if it reached your very core.
Specific Organ Names
- 心臓 (shinzō) — heart. The engine of the circulatory system.
- 肝臓 (kanzō) — liver. Handles metabolism, detoxification, and protein synthesis.
- 腎臓 (jinzō) — kidney. Filters waste and regulates fluid balance.
- 膵臓 (suizō) — pancreas.
- 脾臓 (hizō) — spleen.
- 肺臓 (haizō) — lung (though 肺 alone is far more common in everyday speech).
Medical Terms
- 臓器移植 (zōki ishoku) — organ transplant.
- 臓器提供 (zōki teikyō) — organ donation.
- 臓器不全 (zōki fuzen) — organ failure.
Example Sentences
人間の体にはたくさんの臓器があります。
Ningen no karada ni wa takusan no zōki ga arimasu.
The human body contains many internal organs.
この薬は内臓に直接作用します。
Kono kusuri wa naizō ni chokusetsu sayō shimasu.
This medicine acts directly on the internal organs.
心臓は、生命を支える最も重要な臓器の一つです。
Shinzō wa, seimei o sasaeru mottomo jūyō na zōki no hitotsu desu.
The heart is one of the most vital organs keeping us alive.
健康診断では、肝臓や腎臓の機能もチェックされます。
Kenkō shindan de wa, kanzō ya jinzō no kinō mo chekku saremasu.
Annual health check-ups include tests for liver and kidney function.
彼は臓器移植手術の後、順調に回復しています。
Kare wa zōki ishoku shujutsu no ato, junchō ni kaifuku shiteimasu.
He is recovering steadily after the organ transplant surgery.
アルコールの過剰摂取は内臓に大きな負担をかけます。
Arukōru no kajō sesshu wa naizō ni ōkina futan o kakemasu.
Drinking too much puts serious strain on your internal organs.
この病気は特定の臓器に影響を与えることが多いです。
Kono byōki wa tokutei no zōki ni eikyō o ataeru koto ga ōi desu.
This disease tends to target specific organs.
五臓六腑に染み渡るような美味しい料理でした。
Gozōroppu ni shimiwataru yō na oishii ryōri deshita.
It was a meal so good it felt like it seeped into every corner of my body.
Memory Tip
Split 臓 down the middle. Left: 月, the "flesh" radical in disguise. Right: 蔵, a storehouse. Your body's flesh wraps around an inner storehouse — that's where your organs live. Flesh + storehouse = 臓.