noun HSK 3
Traditional 牙齒
tooth · teeth
Meaning
牙齿 refers to the hard, white structures in the mouth used for biting and chewing food. It's the standard term for teeth in modern Mandarin, used in both medical contexts and everyday conversation.
Usage
牙齿 is the formal, standard term for teeth. In casual speech, people often shorten it to just 牙 (yá). It's commonly used when discussing dental health, tooth pain, or dental hygiene. The word appears frequently in medical contexts and everyday discussions about oral care.
Examples
- 01我每天早晚都刷牙齿。.I brush my teeth every morning and evening.
- 02他的牙齿很整齐洁白。.His teeth are very straight and white.
Characters
Measure words
- 颗一颗牙齿
- 口一口好牙齿
Common collocations
- 刷牙齿to brush teeth
- 牙齿疼toothache
- 洁白的牙齿white/clean teeth
- 保护牙齿to protect teeth
Origin
Both characters 牙 and 齿 originally meant 'tooth' in Classical Chinese. 牙 typically referred to front teeth or fangs, while 齿 referred to back teeth or molars. In modern usage, they've been combined into the compound 牙齿 to mean teeth in general.