Purpose　This　paper　aims　to　introduce　the　human　arm　movement　primitive　(HAMP)　to　express　and　plan　the　motions　of　anthropomorphic　arms.　The　task　planning　method　is　established　for　the　minimum　task　cost　and　a　novel　human-like　motion　planning　method　based　on　the　HAMPs　is　proposed　to　help　humans　better　understand　and　plan　the　motions　of　anthropomorphic　arms.　Design/methodology/approach　The　HAMPs　are　extracted　based　on　the　structure　and　motion　expression　of　the　human　arm.　A　method　to　slice　the　complex　tasks　into　simple　subtasks　and　sort　subtasks　is　proposed.　Then,　a　novel　human-like　motion　planning　method　is　built　through　the　selection,　sequencing　and　quantification　of　HAMPs.　Finally,　the　HAMPs　are　mapped　to　the　traditional　joint　angles　of　a　robot　by　an　analytical　inverse　kinematics　method　to　control　the　anthropomorphic　arms.　Findings　For　the　exploration　of　the　motion　laws　of　the　human　arm,　the　human　arm　motion　capture　experiments　on　12　subjects　are　performed.　The　results　show　that　the　motion　laws　of　human　arm　are　reflected　in　the　selection,　sequencing　and　quantification　of　HAMPs.　These　motion　laws　can　facilitate　the　human-like　motion　planning　of　anthropomorphic　arms.　Originality/value　This　study　presents　the　HAMPs　and　a　method　for　selecting,　sequencing　and　quantifying　them　in　human-like　style,　which　leads　to　a　new　motion　planning　method　for　the　anthropomorphic　arms.　A　similar　methodology　is　suitable　for　robots　with　anthropomorphic　arms　such　as　service　robots,　upper　extremity　exoskeleton　robots　and　humanoid　robots.