How to Write 牙 (yá) — Meaning “Tooth”

Imagine the character looks like an open mouth with two rows of teeth: the top horizontal stroke is the upper gum, the hook and left stroke form a tooth shape, and the bottom hook is the lower jaw. Think of the word "yawn" — when you yawn, you show your 牙 (yá).

Start with the horizontal stroke at the top, then the vertical hook coming down from its left side, followed by the left-falling stroke, and finally the right-falling stroke. A common mistake is making the right-falling stroke too straight — it should curve slightly outward to keep the character balanced.

刷牙 (shuā yá) means "to brush teeth" and is used every morning and night. 牙医 (yá yī) means "dentist," and you would use this word when visiting a dental clinic. 牙膏 (yá gāo) means "toothpaste," which you buy and squeeze onto your toothbrush.

牙 appears in many everyday words about oral care, such as 牙刷 (yá shuā, toothbrush) and 牙线 (yá xiàn, dental floss). In Chinese culture, showing your teeth when smiling or laughing is considered natural and friendly, and having healthy 牙 is associated with good hygiene and beauty.

Common words containing 牙 include: 刷牙 (shuā yá) — To brush teeth.; 牙医 (yá yī) — Dentist; 牙膏 (yá gāo) — toothpaste.