身体 (shēn tǐ) literally combines 身 (shēn), meaning 'body' or 'person', and 体 (tǐ), meaning 'body', 'form', or 'substance'. Together, they form a compound noun that refers specifically to the physical human body — the tangible, biological structure, as opposed to the mind or spirit. It emphasizes the corporeal aspect and is used in contexts related to health, fitness, anatomy, illness, and physical well-being.

This word is neutral in register and widely used in everyday speech, medical discussions, and health education. Unlike the more literary or poetic 身 (shēn) alone, 身体 is the standard, unmarked term for 'body' in modern Mandarin. It commonly appears in phrases like 身体健康 (shēn tǐ jiànkāng, 'good physical health'), 身体不舒服 (shēn tǐ bù shūfu, 'feeling unwell'), and 锻炼身体 (duànliàn shēn tǐ, 'to exercise'). It does not refer to non-human bodies (e.g., animals or objects) unless specified contextually.