Where Is the Clit?

Written byErica Garza
Published 01/27/2025

You don’t need a treasure map to locate the clitoris (clit), a highly sensitive organ that plays a key role in female sexual pleasure. A quick lesson in female anatomy may help you find your way.

Overview

Where Is the Clit?

You don’t need a treasure map to locate the clitoris (clit), a highly sensitive organ that plays a key role in female sexual pleasure. A quick lesson in female anatomy may help you find your way.

If you’re here because you googled “Where is the clit?” you’re not alone. Studies show that both men and women have difficulty labeling the female genitalia correctly, often getting the clitoris and urethra mixed up.

In this guide, we’ll answer all your pressing questions about the most sensitive part of the vulva, like:

  • What is a clit?

  • Where is the clitoris?

  • How do I stimulate the clit?

  • Why does it matter?

But first, let’s start with a female anatomy refresher.

The Basics

Female Anatomy 101

If you want to know where the clitoris is, it’s helpful to know what surrounds it. While the vagina gets a lot of attention, there’s much more to female anatomy than this internal organ. And it begins externally.

The vulva refers to the external female genitals, where the clitoris lives. The vulvar organs include:

  • Labia major. The labia majora are the larger outer lips that are typically covered with hair.

  • Labia minora. The labia minora are the smaller inner lips, which are hairless. These skin folds encircle the clitoris and form the clitoral hood.

  • Clitoral hood. Similar to the foreskin, the clitoral hood is a fold of skin that covers the clitoris. It’s located at the top of the vulva.

  • Clitoris. The clitoris is a sensitive organ somewhat similar to the penis. It has erectile tissues that engorge with blood when aroused.

  • Vaginal opening. The vaginal opening leads to the vaginal canal, which is an elastic tunnel that leads to the uterus.

  • Urethral opening. The urethral opening leads to the urethra, the tube from which urine flows out.

  • Mons pubis. This fatty pad of tissue protects the pubic bone.

What Is the Clitoris?

You already know that the clit is a sensitive body part, but you may not fully appreciate just how sensitive. The glans clitoris (which is the part of the clitoris you can see) has approximately 10,280 nerve fibers, which are highly sensitive to stimulation.

What many people don’t know is that most of the clitoris is inside of the body. The glans clitoris is just one part of the organ—albeit an important one.

Why do so many people know so little about the clitoris? Well, unlike the vagina, penis, ovaries, and testes, which are necessary for human reproduction, the clitoris is not required to reproduce. Its sole existence is to facilitate the female orgasm, which apparently hasn’t been viewed as important enough to include in medical journals until very recently.

Just how recently? The first detailed anatomical study of the clitoris was in run 1998 by the Australian urologist Helen O’Connell. Then, in 2005, O’Connell performed an MRI of the clitoris and saw just how impressive its structure really was. The clit wasn’t just a small nub packed with nerve endings. It was a complex organ shaped like a wishbone or upside-down Y that extended beneath the pubic bone and enwrapped the vaginal opening with bulbs that filled with blood during sexual arousal.

Anatomy of the Clitoris

The clitoris has external and internal parts. Let’s start with the obvious.

The external parts of the clitoris include:

  • Glans clitoris. The glans clitoris is located just above the urethral opening at the top of the vulva. Though it’s only about the size of a pea, the glans clitoris is the vulva’s center of pleasure.

  • Clitoral hood. The clitoral hood is an extension of the inner labia. It protects the most sensitive parts of the clitoris.

Internal parts of the clitoris:

  • Clitoral body (corpora). Located beneath the glans, the body of the clitoris is attached to the pubic bone via ligaments.

  • Crura. The crura are two long “legs” branching from the corpora. They form an upside-down V shape of the internal clitoris.

  • Vestibular bulbs. Located between the crura and the vaginal wall, the bulbs are made of erectile tissues that swell during sexual arousal. Like the crura, they also resemble an upside-down V that wraps around the vaginal opening.

  • Root. Located close to the skin’s surface, the root is the point where the nerves in the clitoris meet.

And what about the controversial G-spot? Researchers are divided on whether or not the G-spot exists. And even among those who believe it does, many disagree about its location, size, and function. Some think the G-spot is merely the root of the clitoris, and others think it’s a separate structure located on the anterior vaginal wall. Until more research is performed, this erotic spot will likely remain a mystery.

How Big Is the Clitoris?

If you’re talking about the glans clitoris, the part you can see, it’s about the size of a pea. But remember, that’s just the beginning. According to Planned Parenthood, the internal part of the clitoris that runs along each side of the vagina can be around five inches long. In fact, that’s not much different from the size of the average erect penis.

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Things to Consider

There’s an Orgasm Gap

Knowing that the clitoris plays a critical role in the female orgasm is important if you consider the orgasm gap.

Some research shows that during partnered heterosexual sex, more than 90 percent of men report always or usually having an orgasm, compared to only 39 percent of women who report the same. 

A possible explanation for the orgasm gap is that we just haven’t been paying enough attention to the clitoris.

The Clitoris Is Key to the Female Orgasm

Most porns depict larger-than-life vaginal orgasms achieved through penetration alone. But that’s not usually how orgasms occur in real life.

In one 2015 study of over 1,000 women aged 18-94, 18 percent of women reported they were able to have an orgasm through intercourse alone. Over 36 percent reported that clitoral stimulation was necessary to achieve orgasm during intercourse, and an additional 36 percent admitted that while clitoral stimulation wasn’t necessary, their orgasms were better when they or their partners did stimulate the clitoris.

The Clitoris Is One of Many Erogenous Zones

While the clitoris is an undeniable powerhouse of pleasure, we should note that it’s just one of many erogenous zones.

Erogenous zones refer to hotspots all over the human body that produce pleasure when touched. The genitals are obvious ones, but they can also include less expected parts like the earlobes and the armpit.

While the earlobes and armpit may not be as sensitive as the clitoris, it’s important to know that sexual pleasure is much more varied than penis-in-vagina sex.

All Vulvas Look Different

We’ll offer some tips below on how to find the clitoris and, even better, how to stimulate it, but keep in mind that no two clitorises are the same. Like the vulva, the clitoris looks different in each person.

In the same sense, some may find their clitoris is more sensitive than others. Some may enjoy having it touched, and others may not. It’s important to communicate with your partner about what feels good to them.

Steps to Take

How to Find the Clit: Steps to Take

Where is the clit located? The external part you want to stimulate is the small piece of flesh at the top of the vulva, just above the urethra and vaginal slit. It may be less visible when your partner is not sexually aroused.

Still a bit lost?

Follow these steps to find the clit.

1. Spread the Outer Labia

With clean hands, spread the labia majora (the outer lips). Run a finger up the labia minora (the inner lips) until you reach the top.

2. Look for the Nub of Flesh Above Urethra

Where the folds of the inner labia meet at the top of the vaginal opening and urethra, you’ll see a small, oval-shaped nub of flesh. That’s the clitoral hood under which the clitoral glans lives.

3. Stimulate the Clitoris to Make It Bigger

If you pull back the clitoral hood (gently!) you'll expose the clitoral glans. It may be quite small if your partner is not aroused. But when you stimulate the clitoral glans, you should see it swell and become engorged with blood.

Remember, the rest of the clitoris is located internally. But this nub of flesh is densely packed with nerves that enjoy various types of stimulation.

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Tips and Strategies

Tips & Strategies for Clitoral Stimulation

No one type of clitoral stimulation works for everyone. It may take some time and experimentation to figure out what works best for your partner.

In fact, watching your partner masturbate or stimulate themselves with a sex toy can be an important (and sexy) lesson in what type of stimulation she enjoys.

Use Your Fingers

Using your fingers, start with soft, light strokes or circular motions. Or try tapping on the clitoris lightly. The more excited your partner gets, the faster you can tap. You can also try a delicate pinch.

Remembering that the clitoris is even bigger on the inside, you can also try inserting a finger or two and stimulating the clitoris internally.

For extra comfort, use a lubricant and experiment with different pressures and speeds.

Try Oral Sex

If your partner enjoys oral sex, try stimulating the clitoris with your tongue. Like with your fingers, start slowly with light flicks or run your tongue around the clit in a circular motion. For even more sensation, try sucking lightly on the clit.

You don’t have to neglect the vagina either. While you’re stimulating the clitoris, feel free to slip a finger or two in the vagina and move in and out (just make sure there’s enough lubrication).

Use Sex Toys

Place a vibrator directly on top of the clitoris to bring her closer to orgasm. This can be used during foreplay or even during penetrative sex in positions that allow enough space for clitoral stimulation.

Another sex toy that both partners can enjoy is a vibrating penis ring. Worn at the base of the penis, a vibrating cock ring is a hands-free way to enjoy intense vibrations while also helping to prolong erections by maintaining blood in the penis. A penis ring can be especially helpful if you’re experiencing erectile dysfunction (ED).

View more sexual health products here, including sex toys, prescription medication for ED, and more. If you could use more support for sexual dysfunction like ED, schedule an online consultation.

Health and Safety

How to Care for the Clitoris

When stimulating the clitoris, follow these tips to help your partner stay healthy:

  • Make sure your hands are clean if you’re using your fingers

  • Always use clean sex toys

  • Use condoms and/or dental dams to avoid STIs

  • If you have a herpes outbreak on your mouth or genitals, avoid sexual activity

  • Use lubrication

  • If your partner feels any pain, back off and check in with her about what wasn’t working

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What to Do Next

Where’s the Clit? Next Steps

Now that you know how important the clit is, it’s time to schedule a visit. While doing so, remember these takeaways:

  • The clitoris is just one part of the vulva, which refers to the external female genitalia. Other important players are the labia majora, labia minora, vaginal opening, and mons pubis.

  • The clitoris plays a central role in the female orgasm. Most women are unable to have orgasms through vaginal penetration alone. Stimulating the clitoris increases a woman’s chances of achieving orgasm.

  • There’s more to the clit than what you can see. The external part of the clitoris is around the size of a pea. But the clitoris extends beneath the pubic bone and enwraps the vaginal opening. Like the penis, it has spongy erectile tissues that fill with blood when a woman is aroused.

  • To find the clitoral glans, the part of the clit you can see, focus on the top of the vagina. This small nub of flesh is just above the urethra and vaginal opening, where the inner lips meet. You may have to spread the outer lips and pull back the clitoral hood to find it.

Remember, the clit isn’t like a light switch. One quick flick won’t magically deliver an orgasm. But packed with over 10,000 nerve endings, it’s a hotspot worth exploring.

For more tips on how to enhance her pleasure, read this guide on how to please a woman, check out these 11 tips on how to have better sex, and explore five ways to make her orgasm.

9 Sources

  1. Andrejek NI, et al. (2022). Climax as Work: Heteronormativity, Gender Labor, and the Gender Gap in Orgasms. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8847982/
  2. El-Hamamsy DI, et al. (2021). Public understanding of female genital anatomy and pelvic organ prolapse (POP); a questionnaire-based pilot study. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00192-021-04727-9
  3. Herbenick DE, et al. (2017). Women's Experiences With Genital Touching, Sexual Pleasure, and Orgasm: Results From a U.S. Probability Sample of Women Ages 18 to 94. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0092623X.2017.1346530
  4. Nguyen JO, et al. (2023). Anatomy, Abdomen and Pelvis: Female External Genitalia. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547703
  5. O’Connell, HE, et al. (1998). Anatomical relationship between urethra and clitoris. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/13684666_Anatomical_relationship_between_urethra_and_clitoris
  6. O’Connell, HE, et al. (2005). Clitoral anatomy in nulliparous, healthy, premenopausal volunteers using unenhanced magnetic resonance imaging. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7860916_Clitoral_anatomy_in_nulliparous_healthy_premenopausal_volunteers_using_unenhanced_magnetic_resonance_imaging
  7. Planned Parenthood. (2020). Where is the clitoris?. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/blog/where-is-the-clitoris
  8. Uloko MA, et al. (2023). How many nerve fibers innervate the human glans clitoris: a histomorphometric evaluation of the dorsal nerve of the clitoris. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36763957
  9. Vieira-Baptista PE, et al. (2021). G-spot: Fact or Fiction?: A Systematic Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8498956/
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