How to Write 齱 (zōu) — Meaning “to bite; narrow”

Imagine your teeth (齿) are so crowded and narrow (窄) that you can only take (取) tiny bites. The right side 取 looks like a hand reaching for something, but with teeth on the left, it becomes a nibbling action. This visual of tight teeth taking small bites helps you recall both meanings: "to bite" and "narrow."

Write the left radical 齿 first (7 strokes), then the right side 取 (8 strokes) for a total of 23 strokes. Pay attention that the bottom part of 齿 (the two small horizontal strokes) should not touch the vertical stroke above. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep 取 compact so the whole character stays balanced. The final stroke on 取 is a short diagonal stroke (㇏) that should not extend past the top.

Both share the 齿 radical, but 齱 has 取 on the right while 齵 has 禺 (yú). 齱 means "to bite" or "narrow," whereas 齵 means "irregular teeth" or "uneven." Visually, 齱 has 23 strokes and 齵 has 20 strokes (齿 + 禺). In usage, 齱 appears in words like 齱龊 (narrow/petty), while 齵 is rare and mostly describes misaligned teeth.

齱 is very rare in modern Chinese and is not part of the HSK vocabulary. It appears mostly in classical or literary texts, such as the idiom 齱齵 (zōu óu) meaning "irregular" or "uneven." You may also see it in the compound 齱龊, which describes narrow-minded or petty behavior. Because of its rarity, most native speakers do not know this character, so it is mainly encountered in historical or specialized contexts.

Common words containing 齱 include: 齱齵 (zōu óu) — irregular; uneven; 齱龊 (zōu chuò) — narrow; petty; dirty; 齱啮 (zōu niè) — to gnaw; to bite.