muscle · line

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 筋 has 12 strokes and relates to muscles and to lines or connected courses.
• Basic usage: 筋 is read すじ, and 筋肉 is read きんにく.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Muscles and a story's plot
  • 脚の筋を痛めた means injuring a leg muscle.
  • 筋が単純 means that the plot is simple.
  • In a film, 筋 refers to the connected course of events in the story.
  • 腕の筋肉の動き means the movement of the arm muscles.