How to Write 龅 (bāo) — Meaning “protruding teeth; bucktoothed”

Think of someone with big buckteeth who loves eating steamed buns (包子 bāozi)—their teeth stick out so far they could hold a bun! The 包 (bāo) part sounds like 'bao,' and the 齿 radical reminds you it's about teeth.

The left radical 齿 must be written first, with its 7 strokes balanced evenly. The right part 包 has a smooth top hook (㇆) and should not be too narrow—a common mistake is squeezing it so the bottom 巳 becomes cramped.

龅 (bāo) specifically means teeth that stick out forward (buckteeth), while 龃 (jǔ) means uneven or irregular teeth and often appears in the word 龃龉 (conflict). 龄 (líng) means 'age' and uses 齿 only as a radical—it does not describe tooth shape at all.

You will most often find 龅 in the common word 龅牙 (bāoyá), meaning 'buckteeth,' used in medical or casual descriptions. It also appears in phrases like 龅牙矫正 (orthodontic treatment) or 龅牙妹, which can be slightly teasing but is not highly offensive.

Common words containing 龅 include: 龅牙 (bāo yá) — buckteeth; protruding teeth; 龅牙矫正 (bāo yá jiǎo zhèng) — orthodontic treatment for buckteeth; 龅牙妹 (bāo yá mèi) — bucktoothed girl.