踵（かかと、kaかto）
- heel

The word 踵踵, read as かかと, refers to the heel of the foot. It's the rounded part at the back of your foot, below the ankle. It's the part that typically touches the ground first when you walk.

⚫︎靴の踵 Translation: The heel of the shoe. ⚫︎踵を痛める Translation: To hurt one's heel. ⚫︎踵がすり減る Translation: The heel is worn down.

This word is used in everyday conversation to describe the heel of the foot or things related to it. You would use it when talking about foot health, shoe construction, or actions involving the heel. For example, you might use it when describing someone’s shoes or if someone injures their foot.

⚫︎The word 踵踵 is primarily written in kanji. ⚫︎The hiragana reading is かかと. ⚫︎There is no variation in the okurigana.

There aren't many direct synonyms for "heel" in Japanese, as 踵踵 is the standard term. However, you could sometimes use more descriptive phrases, such as 足の後ろの部分 (the back part of the foot).

There aren't specific antonyms, but you could consider parts of the foot that are not the heel.

新しい靴の踵が少し高いので、歩きにくいです。 ・Translation: The heel of the new shoes is a little high, so it’s difficult to walk in them. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the difficulty someone is having walking in new shoes due to their heel height.

マラソンで、彼女は踵を痛めてしまった。 ・Translation: In the marathon, she hurt her heel. ・Explanation: This explains that someone injured their heel while running a marathon.

The etymology of 踵踵 is not definitively established in all sources, but the kanji itself combines parts that may relate to the foot (足) and the location at the back.