Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
齿(齒)chǐ(chi3)
The character 齿 (chǐ) primarily means 'tooth' and can refer to both single teeth and the collective set. It is also used in contexts related to gears or cogs in machinery, as well as metaphorically to indicate age when discussing the number of teeth one has lost over time.
Strokes8Radical齿Frequency#7478DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, teeth are believed to reflect a person's overall health and vitality, making 齿 an important character in discussions about longevity and wellness.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant clock made of teeth, where each tooth is a gear turning smoothly. The sound of the gears clicking together sounds like 'chǐ', helping you remember it means 'tooth' and relates to gears.
Meanings of 齿
chǐ(chi3)
1tooth
2teeth; gears, cogs; age
Exercise 1 of 3
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 齿
齿Simplified
齒Traditional
8Strokes
齿Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7478Frequency Rank
颗Measure Word
Podcast: 齿
Podcast: 齿
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 齿
Quick Contrast
牙 (yá) refers specifically to 'tooth' in a more general sense, while 齿 (chǐ) can imply a more technical or collective aspect, such as in machinery or metaphorical contexts.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a giant clock made of teeth, where each tooth is a gear turning smoothly. The sound of the gears clicking together sounds like 'chǐ', helping you remember it means 'tooth' and relates to gears.
Usage Notes
This character is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in dental health discussions. A common mistake is confusing it with 牙 (yá), which also means 'tooth' but refers more specifically to the visible teeth rather than the entire set. Remember to use the correct classifier '颗' (kē) when counting teeth.
HSK Study Tips
While 齿 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can help learners grasp related terms like 牙齿 (yáchǐ), meaning 'teeth'. Focus on pronunciation and the different contexts where this character appears, especially in anatomy or machinery.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, teeth are believed to reflect a person's overall health and vitality, making 齿 an important character in discussions about longevity and wellness.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 齿 (chǐ) with 牙 (yá), mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我有三颗牙' (I have three teeth) should correctly be '我有三颗齿' when referring to the concept of teeth in a general sense.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 齿
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 齿 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 齿 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 齿
齿 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
它猛地朝我的脚脖子咬下去，牙____还咔咔直响。
His teeth clicked as he snapped at my ankle.
Common Confusions with 齿
齿vs齿轮
chǐlún
齿轮 includes 齿 but refers specifically to gears
齿vs齿形
chǐxíng
齿形 relates to the shape of teeth but is a different term
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "tooth"?
or
Example Sentences for 齿 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
它猛地朝我的脚脖子咬下去，牙齿还咔咔直响。
tā měng dì zhāo wǒ de jiǎo bó zǐ yǎo xià qù， ， yá chǐ huán kǎ kǎ zhí。
His teeth clicked as he snapped at my ankle.
2
将牙线在齿间来回拉动。
jiāng yá xiàn zài chǐ jiān lái huí lā dòng。
Draw the floss backwards and forwards between the teeth.
3
牙医开始在那颗有问题的牙齿上挖洞，钻孔，直到最后把它补好。
yá yī kāi shǐ zài nà kē yǒu wèn tí de yá chǐ shàng wā dòng， ， zuān， kǒng ， zhí dào zuì hòu bǎ tā。
The dentist commenced to dig, drill and finally fill the offending tooth.
4
牙齿和牙龈之间会滋生牙斑。
yá chǐ hé yá yín zhī jiān huì zī shēng yá bān。
Deposits of plaque build up between the tooth and the gum.
5
莫妮卡拿起她的伯罗圆珠笔，放在牙齿间转动着。
mò nī kǎ ná qǐ tā de bó luó yuán zhū bǐ， ， fàng zài yá chǐ jiān zhuǎn dòng。
Monica picked up her Biro and revolved it between her teeth.
6
牙斑如果不清除就会导致牙齿蛀蚀和牙龈疾病。
yá bān rú guǒ bù qīng chú jiù huì dǎo zhì yá chǐ zhù shí hé yá yín jí bìng。
When not removed, plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease.
7
那只熊龇出牙齿，发出一声低沉的吼叫。
nà zhī xióng zī chū yá chǐ， ， fā chū yī shēng dī chén de hǒu。
The bear exposed its teeth in a muffled growl.
8
那个军官咧开嘴，露出洁白整齐的牙齿。
nà gè jūn guān liě kāi zuǐ， ， lòu chū jié bái zhěng qí de yá。
The officer's mouth opened, showing white, even teeth.
9
你哪一颗牙齿痛?
nǐ nǎ yī kē yá chǐ tòng?
Which tooth pains you?
10
那老僧既聋且昏,又齿落舌钝,所答非所问.
nà lǎo sēng jì lóng qiě hūn, , yòu chǐ luò shé, dùn , suǒ dá fēi.
The man proved to be deaf as well as dim - witted, for his mumbled answers were quite irrelevant.
Cultural Notes for 齿
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese medicine, teeth are believed to reflect a person's overall health and vitality, making 齿 an important character in discussions about longevity and wellness.
Word Family of 齿
Compounds14
龄ling2age
龌wo4narrow, small-minded; dirty (1)
龊chuo4narrow, small-minded; dirty (2)
啮nie4to bite, to gnaw
龈ken3gums
龅bao1buck teeth
龇zi1to bare one's teeth; crooked teeth
龋qu3tooth decay
龃ju3irregular teeth; discord
龉yu3uneven teeth; to disagree
龀chen4to lose one's baby teeth
龁
龂
龆tiao2to lose one's baby teeth
Words Containing This Character20
牙齿yáchǐtooth牙齒
齿chǐtooth齒
齿轮(machine) gear齒輪
锯齿sawtooth鋸齒
咬牙切齿fuming with rage between gritted teeth咬牙切齒
难以启齿to find it hard to speak about sth難以啟齒
口齿mouth and teeth口齒
龋齿tooth decay齲齒
不齿to despise不齒
智齿wisdom tooth智齒
启齿to open one's mouth啟齒
伶牙俐齿having the gift of the gab伶牙俐齒
臼齿molar tooth臼齒
犬齿canine tooth犬齒
唇齿interdependent唇齒
义齿artificial tooth義齒
唇齿相依interdependent唇齒相依
切齿to gnash one's teeth (in anger)切齒
剑齿虎saber-toothed tiger劍齒虎
马齿苋Portulaca oleracea (common purslane)馬齒莧
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 龄 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 齿
The correct pronunciation is chǐ, with a falling-rising tone.
齿 refers to teeth in a broader sense, while 牙 specifically refers to visible teeth.
