Definitions
(noun)
tooth
Etymology
Depicts top and bottom teeth touching each other.
About
The character "牙" has its origins in a pictographic depiction of teeth, initially representing the interlocking molars within a jaw, which influenced its early structural form. Over time, the character's shape condensed into a more abstract representation while maintaining the essential idea of a tooth through its stroke composition. Etymologically, it first specified molars and the material ivory, highlighting its connection to hard, bony substances. Its semantic scope widened to encompass teeth in general, and subsequently, it adopted figurative meanings for any object resembling a tooth, such as the cogs of a gear or the tines of a fork, demonstrating a gradual conceptual broadening from a specific anatomical term to a versatile morpheme in compound words.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我每天刷牙。
妈妈买了新牙刷。
弟弟的牙齿很白。
我用牙签剔牙。
这只大象有长长的象牙。
牙痛的时候不能吃甜食。
牙医建议定期检查牙齿。
儿童牙膏通常有水果味道。