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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
Podcast: 牙刷
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'.
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Pronunciation of 牙刷
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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.
You can buy a 牙刷 (yáshuā) in various places in China, including supermarkets, pharmacies, and convenience stores. Additionally, online shopping platforms like Taobao and JD.com offer a wide selection of toothbrushes.
牙刷 (yáshuā) means 'toothbrush' in Chinese. It is a compound word where 牙 (yá) means 'tooth' and 刷 (shuā) means 'to brush'. This word is commonly used in daily conversations related to dental hygiene.
To say 'toothbrush' in Chinese, you would use the word 牙刷 (yáshuā). It is pronounced with the first syllable sounding like 'ya' and the second syllable like 'shua'. Practicing the pronunciation can help you use this word confidently.
牙刷 refers to the toothbrush itself, while 刷牙 means to brush teeth, describing the action.
牙刷 is used in both formal and informal settings, but in a formal context, you might discuss dental hygiene more generally.
You can say '我每天都用牙刷刷牙' (I brush my teeth with a toothbrush every day).
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