upper body
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upper body
The upper part of the human body, including the chest, abdomen, back, and shoulders, but excluding the head and arms.
Nach dem Sport hatte er Muskelkater im gesamten Oberkörper.
After exercising, he had sore muscles throughout his upper body.
The word is a clear compound of 'ober-' (upper), meaning 'upper part', and 'der Körper' (the body). So it literally refers to the upper part of the body.
Beim Schwimmen wird der gesamte Oberkörper trainiert.
When swimming, the entire upper body is trained.
In the context of sports and movement, 'Oberkörper' (upper body) is often used with verbs such as 'trainieren' (to train), 'stärken' (to strengthen), 'aufrichten' (to straighten), or 'beugen' (to bend).
Für eine gute Haltung ist es wichtig, den Oberkörper regelmäßig zu stärken.
For good posture, it is important to strengthen the upper body regularly.
The expression 'mit freiem Oberkörper' means that a person is not wearing a shirt or T-shirt. It is often used to describe someone at the beach, while exercising, or doing garden work.
An heißen Sommertagen arbeiten viele Menschen mit freiem Oberkörper im Garten.
On hot summer days, many people work in the garden shirtless.
body
'der Körper' and 'der Oberkörper' both refer to the human body. 'der Körper' is the general word and can mean the whole person physically. 'der Oberkörper' is more specific: it means the upper part with the chest, abdomen, back, and shoulders, but without the head and arms. Learners may confuse the words because 'Oberkörper' is a part of the body. When talking about health or movement in general, 'Körper' fits. If only this upper area is meant, for example in training or clothing, 'Oberkörper' is more precise.
Beim Training hält das Kind den Oberkörper gerade.
During training, the child keeps their upper body straight.
Heute lernen wir in der Schule, wie der Körper beim Atmen arbeitet.
Today at school, we are learning how the body works when breathing.