齿 (chǐ) - Tooth & gears

齿Tone 3

chǐ ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 齿

橙丁

齿 · chǐ

Tooth;

gears;

age (as in years of age);

to mention.

Toothgearsage (as in years of age)

Usage highlights

TeethGearsToothpasteToothbrushDentistAge

Synonyms

  • 牙— tooth (more common in compound words)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I brush my teeth (牙齿) every morning.
  • The gears (齿轮) of the machine are turning.
  • He is not yet of age (未满齿).
  • It is not worth mentioning (不足齿).

Collocations

  • Teeth(牙齿)
  • Gears(齿轮)
  • Toothpaste(牙膏)
  • Toothbrush(牙刷)
  • Dentist(牙医)
  • Age(年齿)

Idioms

  • Gnash one's teeth in hatred(咬牙切齿)
  • Not worth mentioning(不足挂齿)
  • Unable to utter a word(难以启齿)
  • Lips and teeth depend on each other(唇齿相依)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, teeth were sometimes used as a metaphor for age and social standing.
  • The character is pictographic in origin, resembling a mouth with teeth.
  • The phrase 'lip and teeth' (唇齿) symbolizes close interdependence.

FAQ