A tendon is a tough, fibrous band of connective tissue that connects muscle to bone, enabling movement and transmitting the force generated by muscle contraction. The character 肌 (jī) means 'muscle', while 腱 (jiàn) specifically refers to 'tendon' — together, 肌腱 literally combines these two meanings to denote the anatomical structure linking them. This term is used exclusively in medical, biological, and physical therapy contexts, not in everyday casual speech.

In Chinese, 肌腱 appears frequently in health education, sports medicine, and injury reports — for example, when discussing overuse injuries like tennis elbow or Achilles tendonitis. Unlike English, where 'tendon' may appear in lay discussions, Chinese speakers often substitute more general terms like '筋' (jīn, 'sinew') in informal settings; 肌腱 itself signals precision and technical accuracy, especially in written or professional communication.