Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
龆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
龆tiáoto lose one's baby teethg, 13 strokes, radical 齿
龆tiáoshed the milk teethunknown, 13 strokes, radical 齿
龆tiáoyoungunknown, 13 strokes, radical 齿
tiáo(tiao2) T2
  1. 1to lose one's baby teeth
  2. 2shed the milk teeth
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

龆(齠)tiáo(tiao2)

The character 龆 (tiáo) refers to the process of losing baby teeth, commonly known as shedding milk teeth. This term is often used in discussions about childhood development and dental health, symbolizing growth and the transition from infancy to childhood.

Strokes13Radical齿
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, losing baby teeth is often celebrated with rituals, such as tossing the teeth onto the roof to encourage the growth of strong adult teeth. This reflects the importance placed on health and proper growth in childhood.

Memory Tip

Imagine a young child named 'Tiao' who is excitedly showing off their gap-toothed smile after losing a baby tooth. The character 龆, with its components, can be visualized as a tooth (represented by the radical) being shed, emphasizing the youthful aspect of this stage in life.

Meanings of 龆

tiáo(tiao2)
1to lose one's baby teeth
2shed the milk teeth
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 龆

龆Simplified
齠Traditional
13Strokes
齿Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 龆

JasonAmy

Podcast: 龆

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 龆

Usage Notes

This character is relatively uncommon and may not be used in everyday conversation. It is more likely to appear in children's literature or discussions about dental health. Learners should be cautious of the pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 龆 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, recognizing it can enhance understanding of related words about childhood and growth. Learners should focus on associating this character with discussions of young children and their development.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 龆 with similar-sounding characters, such as 调 (tiáo), which means 'to adjust' or 'to tune'. A common mistake is using 龆 in contexts unrelated to childhood, such as adult dental discussions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 龆

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 龆 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 龆

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

teeth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 龆

  1. 1The meaning half齿 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half召 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 龆? 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 龆?

Decomposition of 龆

IDS Structure⿰齿召
龆Full Character
=
齿chi3
left
召Shao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 龆?

How to say to lose one's baby teeth in Chinese

“to lose one's baby teeth” in Chinese is龆tiáo

The character 龆 (tiáo) refers to the process of losing baby teeth, commonly known as shedding milk teeth. This term is often used in discussions about childhood development and dental health, symbolizing growth and the transition from infancy to childhood.

When to use 龆

This character is relatively uncommon and may not be used in everyday conversation. It is more likely to appear in children's literature or discussions about dental health. Learners should be cautious of the pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 龆 with similar-sounding characters, such as 调 (tiáo), which means 'to adjust' or 'to tune'. A common mistake is using 龆 in contexts unrelated to childhood, such as adult dental discussions.

Write 龆

龆

Practice writing 龆 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 龆

Words Containing This Character1
龆tiáoyoung齠
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 龆 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 龆

It is pronounced as 'tiáo'.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 龆?

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.