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颌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
颌hémouth; jawn, 12 strokes, radical 页, rank #41337, Very Hard
颌hémaxilla and mandibleunknown, 12 strokes, radical 页, rank #41337, Very Hard
hé(he2)he T2
  1. 1mouth; jaw
  2. 2maxilla and mandible
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March 24, 2026

颌(頜)hé(he2)

The character 颌 (hé) refers to the lower jaw or chin, specifically in anatomical terms. It is often used in medical contexts to describe either the maxilla (upper jaw) or mandible (lower jaw), and may also appear in discussions about dental health or jaw structure.

Strokes12Radical页Frequency#41337DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the health of the jaw and teeth is often linked to overall well-being, reflecting a holistic approach to health. Understanding 颌 can help learners appreciate discussions around health practices in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a giant jaw (颌) that can 'heave' (pronounced like 'hé') up and down. The character has a mouth radical 口, suggesting it relates to the mouth. Visualize a jaw that opens wide, ready to eat a big meal, emphasizing its connection to eating and speech.

Meanings of 颌

hé(he2)
1mouth; jaw
2maxilla and mandible
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 颌

颌Simplified
頜Traditional
12Strokes
页Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 颌

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Podcast: 颌

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AI study notes for 颌

Usage Notes

When using 颌, it’s important to be aware of its medical context; it’s not commonly used in everyday conversation about the mouth. A common mistake is to confuse it with 口 (kǒu), which simply means 'mouth.' In formal settings, especially in medical discussions, 颌 is preferred.

HSK Study Tips

Currently, 颌 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists. However, it is useful for learners interested in anatomy or medical terminology. Focus on related words like 口 (kǒu) for mouth and 齿 (chǐ) for teeth to build a foundational vocabulary around this topic.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 颌 with 口, thinking they can use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我的颌很痛' (My jaw hurts) is correct, while saying '我的口很痛' (My mouth hurts) could imply a different issue. Be mindful of the context!

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 颌

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Etymology of 颌

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

Phonosemantic compound. 页 represents the meaning and 合 represents the sound. Simplified form of 頜.

Memory hint

head

Semantic (meaning)页
+
Phonetic (sound)合
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

颌 = 页 + 合. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 颌

IDS Structure⿰合页
颌Full character
=
合ge3
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 颌?

How to say mouth; jaw in Chinese

“mouth; jaw” in Chinese is颌hé

The character 颌 (hé) refers to the lower jaw or chin, specifically in anatomical terms. It is often used in medical contexts to describe either the maxilla (upper jaw) or mandible (lower jaw), and may also appear in discussions about dental health or jaw structure.

When to use 颌

When using 颌, it’s important to be aware of its medical context; it’s not commonly used in everyday conversation about the mouth. A common mistake is to confuse it with 口 (kǒu), which simply means 'mouth.' In formal settings, especially in medical discussions, 颌 is preferred.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 颌 with 口, thinking they can use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我的颌很痛' (My jaw hurts) is correct, while saying '我的口很痛' (My mouth hurts) could imply a different issue. Be mindful of the context!

Write 颌

颌

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

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Grammar patterns of 颌

颌 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 2 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 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他们给我量了脉搏、血压,还给我的下____拍了X光片。

They took my pulse, took my blood pressure, and X-rayed my jaw.

Example sentences for 颌 (2)

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1
他们给我量了脉搏、血压,还给我的下颌拍了X光片。

tāmen gěi wǒ liáng le màibó、 xuèyā, hái gěi wǒ de xià hé pāi leX guāng piàn。

They took my pulse, took my blood pressure, and X-rayed my jaw.
2
他的头部受重击之后下颌骨折了。

tā de tóubù shòu zhòng jī zhīhòu xià hé gǔzhé le。

His jaw was broken after he was hit on the head.

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Word Family of 颌

Words containing this character5
下颌lower jaw下頜
颌hémaxilla and mandible頜
上颌maxilla (upper jaw)上頜
下颌骨lower jaw下頜骨
上颌骨maxilla (upper jaw)上頜骨
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 颌

What does 下颌 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 颌

The pinyin 'hé' is pronounced with a rising tone, similar to how you might ask a question.

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