US Medical Term · anatomy
Ulna
Cúbito
Also: Ulna (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Ulna |
| Spanish (Español) | Cúbito |
| Chinese (中文) | 尺骨 |
| Korean (한국어) | 척골 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Xương trụ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Ulna (buto ng braso, gilid ng kalingkingan) |
| Portuguese (Português) | Ulna |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | กระดูกอัลนา |
| Japanese (日本語) | 尺骨 |
What it means
The ulna is one of the two bones in your forearm, running along the pinky-finger side from your elbow to your wrist. It is the longer of the two forearm bones and forms the main part of the elbow joint, creating the bony bump you feel at the tip of your elbow. The ulna works closely with the radius to allow the forearm to rotate. Fractures of the ulna can result from direct impacts, falls, or trying to block a blow, sometimes called a nightstick fracture. Injuries near the elbow, such as an olecranon fracture, affect the bony tip and may need surgical repair.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My forearm hurts along the inner edge — the doctor thinks it may be the ulna.
Me duele el antebrazo en el borde interior — el médico cree que puede ser el cúbito.
I was hit on the arm and now I think I may have cracked my ulna.
Me golpearon en el brazo y creo que me pude haber fisurado el cúbito.
The X-ray showed a break in my ulna near the elbow.
La radiografía mostró una fractura en el cúbito cerca del codo.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026