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齒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
齒chǐteeth; gears, cogs; agex, 15 strokes, radical 齒, rank #47611, Very Hard
chǐ(chi3)chi T3
  1. 1teeth; gears, cogs; age
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March 24, 2026

齒chǐ(chi3)

The character 齒 (chǐ) primarily means 'teeth' and can also refer to the 'cogs' or 'gears' in machinery. In certain contexts, it can denote age, particularly in idiomatic expressions related to wisdom or experience, such as '齒白' (chǐ bái), meaning 'tooth white,' which metaphorically refers to a person being wise or learned.

Strokes15Radical齒Frequency#47611DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, teeth are believed to be connected to kidney health, reflecting the broader cultural significance of physical health and age. This ties into idiomatic expressions where teeth symbolize wisdom and experience.

Memory tip

Imagine a giant tooth (齒) with gears (齒) inside it, turning as it ages. The character itself has a radical that resembles teeth (the lower part) and looks like it’s grinning, reminding you of a smile that reveals teeth.

Meanings of 齒

chǐ(chi3)
1teeth; gears, cogs; age
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 齒

齒Simplified
15Strokes
齒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 齒

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Podcast: 齒

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AI study notes for 齒

Usage Notes

When using 齒 to refer to age, it's often found in formal contexts or literature. Common mistakes include confusing its meaning with other characters related to body parts, such as 牙 (yá), which specifically means 'tooth.' Pay attention to the third tone in pronunciation, as it can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 齒 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary lists, it shares components with other HSK words related to health or body parts. Focus on how it connects to words like 牙 (yá) and understand the context in which it is used to describe machinery.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 齒 with 牙 (yá) and use them interchangeably, leading to phrases like '我有五个齒' instead of '我有五个牙' (I have five teeth). Remember that 齒 is more formal and has broader meanings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 齒

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Etymology of 齒

Formation typePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 齒. Pictograph of a mouth full of teeth. The sound component 止 was added later.

Memory hint

Upper and lower teeth 从; 止 provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 齒?

Decomposition of 齒

IDS Structure⿱止⿶凵⿳从一从
齒Full character
=
止zhi3
top
凵qian3
enclosing
从Cong2
top
一yi1
middle
从Cong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 齒?

How to say teeth; gears, cogs; age in Chinese

“teeth; gears, cogs; age” in Chinese is齒chǐ

The character 齒 (chǐ) primarily means 'teeth' and can also refer to the 'cogs' or 'gears' in machinery. In certain contexts, it can denote age, particularly in idiomatic expressions related to wisdom or experience, such as '齒白' (chǐ bái), meaning 'tooth white,' which metaphorically refers to a person being wise or learned.

When to use 齒

When using 齒 to refer to age, it's often found in formal contexts or literature. Common mistakes include confusing its meaning with other characters related to body parts, such as 牙 (yá), which specifically means 'tooth.' Pay attention to the third tone in pronunciation, as it can change the meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 齒 with 牙 (yá) and use them interchangeably, leading to phrases like '我有五个齒' instead of '我有五个牙' (I have five teeth). Remember that 齒 is more formal and has broader meanings.

Write 齒

齒

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

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Word Family of 齒

Words containing this character20
牙齿yáchǐtooth牙齒
齿chǐtooth齒
齿轮chǐlún(machine) gear齒輪
锯齿jùchǐsawtooth鋸齒
咬牙切齿yǎoyáqièchǐfuming with rage between gritted teeth咬牙切齒
难以启齿nányǐqǐchǐto find it hard to speak about sth難以啟齒
口齿kǒuchǐmouth and teeth口齒
龋齿qǔchǐtooth decay齲齒
不齿bùchǐto despise不齒
智齿zhìchǐwisdom tooth智齒
启齿qǐchǐto open one's mouth啟齒
伶牙俐齿língyálìchǐhaving the gift of the gab伶牙俐齒
臼齿jiùchǐmolar tooth臼齒
犬齿quǎnchǐcanine tooth犬齒
唇齿chúnchǐinterdependent唇齒
义齿yìchǐartificial tooth義齒
唇齿相依chúnchǐxiāngyīinterdependent唇齒相依
切齿qièchǐto gnash one's teeth (in anger)切齒
剑齿虎jiànchǐhǔsaber-toothed tiger劍齒虎
马齿苋mǎchǐxiànPortulaca oleracea (common purslane)馬齒莧
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 齒

What does 牙齿 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 齒

It is pronounced as chǐ, with a third tone, which means the pitch should dip and then rise.

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