Definitions

chèn to replace the milk teeth

Etymology phono-semantic

teeth

Semantic: 齿 Phonetic:

About

The character "龀", with its traditional form "齔", etymologically derives from the concept of dental change, as seen in its compositional structure where "齒" or its simplified counterpart "齿" signifies teeth and the component "匕" implies alteration or a cutting action. This formation has historically denoted the physiological process of losing deciduous teeth in children, a meaning that has consistently been associated with the character since its early usage, often extending to reference childhood itself. While the simplified form modernizes the graphic representation of the tooth component, the core semantic focus on dental transition has remained central to the character's application in literary contexts over time.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern