Definitions

used in 齟齬|龃龉[jǔ yǔ]

Etymology phono-semantic

teeth

Semantic: 齿 Phonetic:

About

The character "龃", whose traditional form is "齟", is structured with the radical "齒" denoting tooth and the component "且" which historically functioned phonetically, indicating an etymology directly tied to dental alignment. Its original meaning described teeth that were uneven or did not meet properly, a concrete physical condition. This literal sense subsequently extended metaphorically, and the character now appears almost exclusively in the compound "龃龉" to convey notions of disagreement or incongruity, marking a clear transition from a specific anatomical reference to an abstract expression of discord.