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牙刷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
牙刷yáshuātoothbrushHSK 3, unknown, 12 strokes, rank #8358, Medium
yáshuā(ya2shua1)ya shua T2
  1. 1toothbrush
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March 24, 2026

牙刷yáshuā(ya2shua1)

牙刷 (yá shuā) refers to a toothbrush, a common dental hygiene tool used for cleaning teeth. It is typically used in daily routines for maintaining oral health, often accompanied by toothpaste. In Chinese, the term literally translates to 'tooth brush', reflecting its primary function.

Strokes12Frequency#8358DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, maintaining oral hygiene is considered important, and many people use electric toothbrushes, a trend that has become more popular in urban areas. The practice of brushing teeth is often highlighted in children's education about health.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant tooth (牙, yá) being brushed with a large brush (刷, shuā). The visual of a tooth getting cleaned helps reinforce the meaning of '牙刷' as a toothbrush, while the sound 'ya' in yá can remind you of 'yawn', as in you use a toothbrush after waking up from sleep.

Meanings of 牙刷

yáshuā(ya2shua1)
1toothbrush
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About 牙刷

牙刷Simplified
12Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
把Measure Word
HSK 3.0L3IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

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Podcast: 牙刷

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AI Study Notes for 牙刷

Usage Notes

Be careful to differentiate between formal and informal contexts. While '牙刷' is universally understood, in casual conversation you might hear '刷牙' (shuā yá) meaning 'to brush teeth'. A common mistake is to confuse it with '牙膏' (yá gāo), which means toothpaste.

HSK Study Tips

While '牙刷' is not an HSK vocabulary word, it shares components with other HSK vocabulary related to health and hygiene, such as '牙' (tooth). Students should focus on associating terms related to daily routines to build a comprehensive vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write '牙刷' with incorrect tones, such as 'ya1 shua1', which could confuse the meaning. Remember that the correct tones are 'ya2 shua1'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 牙刷

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Component Characters

牙yátooth
HSK 34 strokes牙
View full entry
刷shuāto brush
HSK 38 strokes刂
View full entry

How to say toothbrush in Chinese

“toothbrush” in Chinese is牙刷yáshuā

牙刷 (yá shuā) refers to a toothbrush, a common dental hygiene tool used for cleaning teeth. It is typically used in daily routines for maintaining oral health, often accompanied by toothpaste. In Chinese, the term literally translates to 'tooth brush', reflecting its primary function.

When to use 牙刷

Be careful to differentiate between formal and informal contexts. While '牙刷' is universally understood, in casual conversation you might hear '刷牙' (shuā yá) meaning 'to brush teeth'. A common mistake is to confuse it with '牙膏' (yá gāo), which means toothpaste.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write '牙刷' with incorrect tones, such as 'ya1 shua1', which could confuse the meaning. Remember that the correct tones are 'ya2 shua1'.

Write 牙刷

牙
刷

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Cultural Notes for 牙刷

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In many Western cultures, there is a strong emphasis on dental hygiene and regular visits to the dentist, while in some rural areas of China, traditional practices may still prevail, leading to different approaches to oral care.

Frequently Asked Questions about 牙刷

You can use 牙刷 (yáshuā) in a sentence like, '我每天都用牙刷刷牙' (Wǒ měitiān dōu yòng yáshuā shuā yá), which means 'I use a toothbrush to brush my teeth every day.' This shows how the word fits into daily routines.

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