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齲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
齲qǔtooth decayx, 24 strokes, radical 齒
qǔ(qu3) T3
  1. 1tooth decay
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

齲qǔ(qu3)

The character 齲 (qǔ) refers specifically to tooth decay or cavities in dental health. It is commonly used in medical contexts, particularly when discussing dental issues or hygiene, and highlights the importance of taking care of one's teeth to prevent decay.

Strokes24Radical齒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, maintaining dental health is increasingly emphasized, especially as awareness of dental care grows. Traditional practices often included natural remedies, but modern dentistry is now widely accepted and promoted.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tooth being 'chewed' by bacteria, leading to decay. The character 齲 has the radical for teeth (齒) which relates to its meaning. Visualize a tooth with a 'Q' shape that is slowly turning into mush, reminding you of the pronunciation 'qǔ' and its meaning.

Meanings of 齲

qǔ(qu3)
1tooth decay
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 齲

齲Simplified
24Strokes
齒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 齲

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Podcast: 齲

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 齲

Usage Notes

This term is more commonly used in medical or dental discussions, so it may not be familiar in casual conversation. A common mistake is mispronouncing the tone; remember it is pronounced with a falling tone (qǔ) to convey the correct meaning. Collocations include '齲齒' (qǔchǐ), meaning 'decayed tooth.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 齲 is not included in the HSK list, it is relevant for learners interested in healthcare vocabulary. Focus on related terms like 牙齒 (yáchǐ - tooth) and 齒 (chǐ - teeth), as these will help in understanding dental health discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 齲 with similar sounding words like 取 (qǔ), which means 'to take.' Always remember the context of dental health when using 齲.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 齲

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Etymology of 齲

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 齿 represents the meaning and 禹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 齲.

Memory Hint

teeth

Semantic (meaning)齒
+
Phonetic (sound)禹
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 齲

Phonosemantic compound. 齿 represents the meaning and 禹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 齲.

  1. 1The meaning half齒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half禹 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayteeth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 齲? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 齲?

Decomposition of 齲

IDS Structure⿰齒禹
齲Full Character
=
齒chi3
left
禹Yu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 齲?

How to say tooth decay in Chinese

“tooth decay” in Chinese is齲qǔ

The character 齲 (qǔ) refers specifically to tooth decay or cavities in dental health. It is commonly used in medical contexts, particularly when discussing dental issues or hygiene, and highlights the importance of taking care of one's teeth to prevent decay.

When to use 齲

This term is more commonly used in medical or dental discussions, so it may not be familiar in casual conversation. A common mistake is mispronouncing the tone; remember it is pronounced with a falling tone (qǔ) to convey the correct meaning. Collocations include '齲齒' (qǔchǐ), meaning 'decayed tooth.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 齲 with similar sounding words like 取 (qǔ), which means 'to take.' Always remember the context of dental health when using 齲.

Write 齲

齲

Practice writing 齲 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 齲

Words Containing This Character4
龋齿tooth decay齲齒
龋qǔdecayed teeth齲
防龋anti-caries防齲
龋齿性caries-inducing齲齒性
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 龋齿 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 齲

It is pronounced as 'qǔ' with the third tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 齲?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.