牙 meaning and stroke order
Tooth; ivory
How to write 牙, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 牙
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- tooth
- ivory
How to remember 牙
Picture 牙 (yá) as a drawing of two interlocking teeth, with the hook at the bottom like a long fang or tusk biting down. The radical and the character are the same, so it stands alone as a picture of a tooth.
牙 (yá) is used for teeth in everyday words like 刷牙 (shuā yá, to brush teeth), 牙刷 (yáshuā, toothbrush) and 牙医 (yáyī, dentist). It also appears as a sound in foreign names, such as 西班牙 (Xībānyá, Spain). Example: 我每天早上刷牙。(Wǒ měitiān zǎoshang shuā yá.) I brush my teeth every morning.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 牙 (yá) with 呀 (ya), the sentence-final particle, which simply adds the mouth radical 口 to the left. Also note the order in 刷牙 (brush teeth, a verb phrase) versus 牙刷 (toothbrush, a noun).
Common words with 牙
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 刷牙 | shuā yá | to brush one's teeth | HSK 4 |
| 牙刷 | yáshuā | toothbrush | HSK 4 |
| 西班牙语 | Xībānyáyǔ | Spanish language | HSK 6 |
| 牙齿 | yáchǐ | tooth; dental | HSK 7-9 |
| 牙膏 | yágāo | toothpaste | HSK 7-9 |
| 牙医 | yáyī | dentist | |
| 假牙 | jiǎyá | false teeth; dentures | |
| 以牙还牙 | yǐyáhuányá | a tooth for a tooth (retaliation) | |
| 老掉牙 | lǎodiàoyá | very old; obsolete | |
| 尖牙 | jiānyá | canine tooth; fang; tusk | |
| 牙签 | yáqiān | toothpick | |
| 象牙 | xiàngyá | ivory; elephant tusk | |
| 獠牙 | liáoyá | tusk; fang | |
| 牙科 | yákē | dentistry |
牙 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 牙
Learning 牙 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 牙
How many strokes are in 牙?
牙 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 牙 mean?
牙 (yá) means tooth; ivory. A common word with it is 刷牙 (shuā yá), meaning "to brush one's teeth".
How do you pronounce 牙?
牙 is pronounced yá, in the second tone (rising).
Is 牙 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 牙 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 牙 and 牙齿?
Both mean tooth. 牙 is the common spoken word and appears in compounds like 刷牙, while 牙齿 (yáchǐ) sounds a bit more complete or formal and is often used in health or descriptive contexts.
What does 以牙还牙 mean?
以牙还牙 (yǐyáhuányá) means a tooth for a tooth, that is, paying someone back in the same way they hurt you. It describes retaliation and is usually used about conflicts or revenge.