牙
The 牙 radical
Tooth, fang
Memory hook
Two rows of teeth interlocking — molars and fangs: 牙齿 (teeth), 刷牙 (to brush teeth).
The 牙 radical (read yá) means tooth, fang. The HSK 3.0 data contains 1 characters and 6 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 牙 radical
Study this radical's 6 words with flashcards or a quiz.
Characters with the 牙 radical
1 charactersHSK 4· 1 characters
HSK 4牙
tooth, teeth
Vocabulary with the 牙 radical
6 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 牙 radical, ordered by HSK level.
to brush one's teeth
tooth, teeth
toothbrush
Spanish (language)
toothpaste
tooth, teeth
Why learn vocabulary by the 牙 radical?
The 牙 radical hints at the meaning tooth, fang. 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 1 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 6 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.