齿
The 齿 radical
Front teeth
Variants: 齒
Memory hook
An open mouth showing a row of front teeth, with 止 above giving the sound: 牙齿 (teeth), 年龄 (age — age was once judged by the teeth).
The 齿 radical (read chǐ) means front teeth. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 3 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 齿 radical
Practise the 2 characters carrying the 齿 radical in correct stroke order: watch, trace, then write from memory.
Characters with the 齿 radical
2 charactersHSK 5· 1 characters
HSK 5龄
age
HSK 7-9· 1 characters
HSK 7-9齿
tooth
Vocabulary with the 齿 radical
3 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 齿 radical, ordered by HSK level.
age
tooth, teeth
advanced age, elderly (usually of a person)
At least 4 words are needed to practise.
Why learn vocabulary by the 齿 radical?
The 齿 radical hints at the meaning front teeth. When you meet an unfamiliar character carrying it, you already know part of its meaning before reaching for a dictionary — which is why learners who know their radicals move faster.
How to study: read the memory hook, skim the 2 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 3 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.