牙

牙 U+7259, 牙 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7259 ← 牘 [U+7258] CJK Unified Ideographs 牚 → [U+725A]

⽛ U+2F5B, ⽛ KANGXI RADICAL FANG ← ⽚ [U+2F5A] Kangxi Radicals ⽜ → [U+2F5C]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

牙 (Kangxi radical 92, 牙+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 一女木竹 (MVDH), four-corner 1024₀, composition ⿹⿻𠃋丁丿)

1. Kangxi radical #92, ⽛.
2. Shuowen Jiezi radical №39

Derived characters

• Appendix:Chinese radical/牙
• 伢, 冴, 呀, 𡉪, 岈, 㤉, 㧎, 𣲨, 犽, 𰀍, 迓, 枒, 𤆹, 玡, 砑, 䄰, 𧘪, 𦕆, 蚜, 𧠖, 𧣐, 訝 (讶), 谺, 釾 (䥺), 颬, 𩨠, 𩶀(𬶅), 齖 (𬹺), 𫰎, 𬦤, 𮐍
• 𠚾, 𠡁, 邪, 雅, 䪵, 鴉 (鸦), 𪖕, 𢗬, 𥁆, 𡵥, 芽, 穿, 䍓, 笌, 厊, 庌, 疨, 閕, 衺, 𮗍, 𭓟, 𭯲

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 695, character 3
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 19909
• Dae Jaweon: page 1108, character 6
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 2, page 1419, character 8
• Unihan data for U+7259

Chinese

trad.		牙
simp. #		牙
alternative forms		𤘈

Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 牙
Western Zhou	Warring States	Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han)	Liushutong (compiled in Ming)
Bronze inscriptions	Chu slip and silk script	Small seal script	Transcribed ancient scripts

Characters in the same phonetic series (牙) (Zhengzhang, 2003) 

	Old Chinese
邪	*ljaː, *laː
衺	*ljaː
牙	*ŋraː
芽	*ŋraː
齖	*ŋraː, *ŋraːs
呀	*ŋraː, *hŋraː
枒	*ŋraː, *ŋraːs
雅	*ŋraːʔ
厊	*ŋraːʔ
庌	*ŋraːʔ
訝	*ŋraːs
迓	*ŋraːs
砑	*ŋraːs
犽	*ŋraːs
疨	*hŋraː
岈	*hŋraː
谺	*hŋraː
颬	*hŋraː
鴉	*qraː
釾	*laː

The pictogram of a pair of elephant tusks. According to Xu Shen, this pictogram was used to indicate human molars but not front teeth/incisors (齒).

Etymology

Norman and Mei (1976) propose that this was a substrate loan; cf. Proto-Vietic *ŋaː (“ivory”) (Vietnamese ngà), Proto-Tai *ŋaːᴬ (“tusk; ivory”) (Thai งา (ngaa)). Pulleyblank (1983) disagrees with their hypothesis and considers Old Chinese to be the donor of this Wanderwort instead.

STEDT provisionally sets up Proto-Sino-Tibetan *s-ŋja (“tusk; tooth”), comparing it to Mizo ngho (“tusk; fang”), Manipuri ꯌꯥ (yaa, “tooth”), Mru [script needed] (hngou, “tooth”), Pa'o Karen [script needed] (tə́ʔ ŋà, “tooth”).

Hong Kong Cantonese neologism prefix

From 阿 (aa3).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yá (ya²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧㄚˊ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ya²

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): niá

  (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): yá

  (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): я (i͡a, I) / ня (ni͡a, I)

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ngaa⁴ / ngaa^4-2

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): ngaa⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): nga³

  (Yangjiang, Jyutping++): ngaa⁴

• Gan (Wiktionary): nga⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): ngà

  (Hailu, HRS): nga

  (Meixian, Guangdong): nga²

  (Changting, Changting Pinyin): nga²

• Jin (Wiktionary): nia¹ / ia¹
• Northern Min (KCR): ngâ
• Eastern Min (BUC): ngà / ngāi
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gor² / ga²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): gê / gêe / giêe / gâ

  (Teochew, Peng'im): ghê⁵

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): nge⁵ / ia⁵

• Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): njaa⁴
• Wu (Northern, Wugniu): ⁶nga / ²nga / ⁴nga / ²ngo / ²gha / ⁶ya / ²ya
• Xiang

  (Changsha, Wiktionary): nga² / ia²

  (Loudi, Wiktionary): ngo²

  (Hengyang, Wiktionary): nga² / ia²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yá
    • Zhuyin: ㄧㄚˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yá
    • Wade–Giles: ya²
    • Yale: yá
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ya
    • Palladius: я (ja)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /jä³⁵/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: ya²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ia
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ia²¹/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: niá
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /nia²⁴/
  • (Nanjing)
    • Nanjing Pinyin: yá
    • Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): ya²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ia²⁴/
  • (Dungan)
    • Cyrillic and Wiktionary: я (i͡a, I) / ня (ni͡a, I)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ia²⁴/, /nia²⁴/

    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)

• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ngaa⁴ / ngaa^4-2
    • Yale: ngàh / ngá
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ngaa⁴ / ngaa^4-2
    • Guangdong Romanization: nga⁴ / nga^4-2
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋaː²¹/, /ŋaː²¹⁻³⁵/

Note: ngaa4-2 - screw thread.

• • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: ngaa⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋa²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: nga³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡa²²/
  • (Yangjiang Yue, Jiangcheng)
    • Jyutping++: ngaa⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋa⁴²/
• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: nga⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋa³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngà
    • Hakka Romanization System: nga^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: nga²
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋa¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: nga
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋa⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: nga²
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋa¹¹/
  • (Changting)
    • Changting Pinyin: nga²
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋa²⁴/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: nia¹ / ia¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /nia¹¹/, /ia¹¹/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ngâ
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋa³³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ngà / ngāi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋa⁵³/, /ŋai³³/

Note: ngāi - synaeresis of 牙齒 used alone or in some compounds.

• Puxian Min
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gor²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /kɒ¹³/
  • (Putian, Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: ga²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ka¹³/

Note:

• gor2 - vernacular;
• ga2 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, Changtai, General Taiwanese, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gê
    • Tâi-lô: gê
    • Phofsit Daibuun: gee
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡe²³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, Changtai, Taipei, Singapore): /ɡe²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, Zhangpu)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gêe
    • Tâi-lô: gêe
    • IPA (Zhangpu): /ɡɛ²¹³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɡɛ¹³/
  • (Hokkien: Longyan)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: giêe
    • Tâi-lô: giêe
    • IPA (Longyan): /ɡiɛ¹¹/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gâ
    • Tâi-lô: gâ
    • Phofsit Daibuun: gaa
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ɡa¹³/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Jinjiang, Nan'an, Hui'an, Yongchun, Taipei): /ɡa²⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡa²³/

Note:

• gê/gêe/giêe - vernacular (“tooth; fang; ivory; broker”);
• gâ - literary (“screw thread”).

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: ghê⁵
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: gê
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɡe⁵⁵/
• (Leizhou)
  • Leizhou Pinyin: nge⁵ / ia⁵
  • Sinological IPA: /ŋɛ²²/, /ia²²/

Note:

• nge5 - vernacular;
• ia5 - literary.

• Southern Pinghua
  • (Nanning Pinghua, Tingzi)
    • Jyutping++: njaa⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ɲa²¹/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶nga
    • MiniDict: nga^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nga
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ŋa²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming, Suzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²nga
    • MiniDict: nga^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /ŋa³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ŋɑ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦŋɑ²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ŋɑ²²³/
  • (Northern: Chuansha)
    • Wugniu: ⁴nga
    • Sinological IPA (Chuansha): /ŋa²¹³/
  • (Northern: Changzhou, Shaoxing, Ningbo)
    • Wugniu: ²ngo
    • MiniDict: ngo^平
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /ŋo¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /ŋo²³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ŋo³¹³/
  • (Northern: Jiaxing, Tongxiang, Haining, Haiyan)
    • Wugniu: ²gha
    • MiniDict: gha^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiaxing): /ɦa³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Tongxiang): /ɦa²²/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /ɦa¹¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /ɦa³¹/
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶ya
    • MiniDict: ya^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³hhia
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /ɦia²³/
  • (Northern: Songjiang, Suzhou, Changzhou, Haining, Haiyan, Hangzhou)
    • Wugniu: ²ya
    • MiniDict: ya^平
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /ɦiɑ³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ɦiɑ²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /ɦia¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Haining): /ɦia¹¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Haiyan): /ɦia³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /ɦiɑ²³/

Note:

• ⁶nga/²nga/²ngo/²gha - colloquial;
• ⁶ya/²ya - literary.

• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: nga² / ia²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋa̠¹³/, /i̯a̠¹³/

Note:

• nga2 - vernacular;
• ia2 - literary.

• (Loudi)
  • Wiktionary: ngo²
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɔ¹³/
• (Hengyang)
  • Wiktionary: nga² / ia²
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋä¹¹/, /i̯ä¹¹/

Note:

• nga2 - vernacular;
• ia2 - literary.

---

• Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 牙
Mandarin	Beijing	/ia³⁵/
	Harbin	/ia²⁴/
	Tianjin	/iɑ⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/ia⁴²/
	Qingdao	/ia⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/ia⁴²/
	Xi'an	/nia²⁴/
	Xining	/ia²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/ia⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/ia⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/ia⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/ia²¹³/
	Chengdu	/ia³¹/
	Guiyang	/ia²¹/
	Kunming	/ia̠³¹/
	Nanjing	/iɑ²⁴/
	Hefei	/ia⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/nia¹¹/ /ia¹¹/
	Pingyao	/ȵiɑ¹³/
	Hohhot	/ia³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/ŋa²³/ /ɦia²³/
	Suzhou	/ŋɑ¹³/
	Hangzhou	/ɦiɑ²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/ŋo³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/ŋa⁴⁴/
	Tunxi	/ŋɔ⁴⁴/
Xiang	Changsha	/ia¹³/ /ŋa¹³/
	Xiangtan	/ŋɒ¹²/
Gan	Nanchang	/ŋɑ⁴⁵/
Hakka	Meixian	/ŋa¹¹/
	Taoyuan	/ŋɑ¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/ŋa²¹/
	Nanning	/ŋa²¹/
	Hong Kong	/ŋa²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/ga³⁵/ /ge³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/ŋa⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/ŋa³³/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/ŋẽ⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/za³¹/ /ŋɛ³¹/

---

• Middle Chinese: ngae

Rime
Character	牙
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	麻 (98)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	II
Fanqie	五加切
Baxter	ngae
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋˠa/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋᵚa/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋa/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋaɨ/
Li Rong	/ŋa/
Wang Li	/ŋa/
Bernard Karlgren	/ŋa/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yá
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ngaa4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*m-ɢˤ<r>a/

  (Zhengzhang): /*ŋraː/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	牙
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yá
Middle Chinese	‹ ngæ ›
Old Chinese	/*m-ɢˁ<r>a/
English	tooth
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	牙
Reading #	1/1
No.	14177
Phonetic component	牙
Rime group	魚
Rime subdivision	0
Corresponding MC rime	牙
Old Chinese	/*ŋraː/

Definitions

牙

1. (anatomy) tooth (Classifier: 顆／颗 m; 隻／只 m c; 棚 c)

   拔牙  ―  báyá  ―  to take out a tooth

   我牙疼。  ―  Wǒ yá téng.  ―  I have a toothache.

2. (anatomy) ivory; tusk of elephant

   牙雕  ―  yádiāo  ―  ivory sculpture

3. screw thread
4. (literary, obsolete) to bite
5. (obsolete) Alternative form of 衙 (“government office; yamen”)
6. (obsolete) Alternative form of 芽 (yá, “to sprout”)
7. (Hong Kong Cantonese, Internet slang, leetspeak, neologism) Prefix used in front of the surname or last character of someone’s given name to express familiarity or friendliness.
8. (historical) broker

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 牙齒 (“tooth”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		齒
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		牙齒
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	牙
	Taiwan	牙
	Harbin	牙
	Singapore	牙齒
	Olginsky (Mikhaylovka)	牙
Jilu Mandarin	Jinan	牙
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	牙
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	牙
	Wanrong	牙
	Xi'an	牙
	Xining	牙
	Xuzhou	牙
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	牙
	Ürümqi	牙
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	牙齒
	Chongqing	牙齒, 牙巴
	Wuhan	牙齒, 才調子
	Guiyang	牙齒
	Guilin	牙齒
	Liuzhou	牙齒
Jianghuai Mandarin	Yangzhou	牙子
	Xinghua	牙齒
	Hefei	牙, 牙齒
Cantonese	Guangzhou	牙
	Hong Kong	牙
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	牙
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	牙
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	牙
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	牙
	Macau	牙
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	牙
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	牙
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	牙
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	牙
	Foshan	牙
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	牙
	Foshan (Shunde)	牙
	Foshan (Sanshui)	牙
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	牙
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	牙
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	牙
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	牙
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	牙
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	牙
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	牙
	Taishan	牙
	Kaiping (Chikan)	牙
	Enping (Niujiang)	牙
	Heshan (Yayao)	牙
	Dongguan	牙
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	牙
	Qingyuan	牙
	Fogang	牙
	Yingde (Hanguang)	牙
	Yangshan	牙
	Lianshan (Butian)	牙齒
	Lianzhou (Qingshui Sihui)	牙齒
	Shaoguan	牙, 牙齒
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	牙
	Renhua	牙齒
	Lechang	牙, 牙齒
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	牙
	Sihui	牙
	Guangning	牙
	Deqing	牙
	Huaiji	牙
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	牙
	Yunfu	牙
	Xinxing	牙
	Luoding	牙
	Yunan (Pingtai)	牙
	Yangjiang	牙
	Xinyi	牙齒
	Maoming (Xinpo)	牙
	Lianjiang	牙
	Nanning	牙齒, 牙
	Wuzhou	牙齒, 牙
	Yulin	牙齒, 牙
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	牙齒
	Guiping	牙齒
	Mengshan (Xihe)	牙齒
	Guigang (Nanjiang)	牙齒
	Beiliu (Tangliao)	牙齒
	Baise	牙齒
	Bobai	牙齒
	Lingshan	牙齒
	Pubei	牙齒
Qinzhou	牙齒
Beihai	牙齒
Ningming	牙齒
Hengzhou	牙齒
Hezhou (Pumen, Babu)	牙齒
Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	牙
Singapore (Guangfu)	牙
Gan	Nanchang	牙齒
	Pingxiang	牙齒
Hakka	Meixian	牙齒
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	牙
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	牙
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	牙齒
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	牙
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	牙齒
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	牙齒
	Yudu	牙齒
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	牙齒
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	牙齒
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	牙齒
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	牙齒
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	牙齒
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	牙, 牙齒
	Hong Kong	牙
	Senai (Huiyang)	牙
	Singapore (Dabu)	牙齒
Huizhou	Jixi	牙齒
Jin	Taiyuan	牙
	Xinzhou	牙
Northern Min	Jian'ou	牙齒
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	牙
	Fuzhou (Changle)	牙
	Fuqing	喙齒
	Yongtai	牙齒
	Gutian	喙齒
	Fu'an	喙齒
	Ningde	喙齒
	Shouning	喙齒
	Zhouning	喙齒
	Fuding	牙齒
Southern Min	Xiamen	喙齒, 齒
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	喙齒
	Quanzhou	喙齒, 齒
	Jinjiang	喙齒
	Hui'an	喙齒
	Anxi	喙齒
	Dehua	喙齒
	Zhangzhou	喙齒, 齒
	Zhao'an	喙齒
	Kaohsiung	喙齒, 齒
	Yilan	喙齒
	Changhua (Lukang)	喙齒
	Taichung	牙齒
	Taichung (Wuqi)	喙齒
	Tainan	喙齒
	Taitung	喙齒
	Hsinchu	喙齒
	Penghu (Magong)	喙齒
	Penang (Hokkien)	喙齒, 牙
	Singapore (Hokkien)	喙齒, 齒
	Manila (Hokkien)	喙齒
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	牙齒
	Chaozhou	齒
	Shantou	齒
	Shantou (Chenghai)	齒
	Jieyang	齒
	Haifeng	牙
	Bangkok (Teochew)	齒
	Ho Chi Minh City (Teochew)	牙
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	齒
	Singapore (Teochew)	齒
	Pontianak (Teochew)	牙
	Leizhou	牙
	Wenchang	牙
	Haikou	齒
	Singapore (Hainanese)	牙, 喙齒
Puxian Min	Putian	齒
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	喙齒
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	齒
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	齒
	Xianyou	齒, 喙齒
	Xianyou (Fengting)	齒, 喙齒
	Xianyou (Youyang)	齒, 喙齒
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	牙
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	牙齒
Shehua	Fu'an	牙
	Fuding	牙
	Luoyuan	牙
	Sanming	牙
	Shunchang	牙
	Hua'an	牙
Waxiang	Guzhang (Gaofeng)	牙齒
Wu	Shanghai	牙子, 牙齒
	Shanghai (Chongming)	牙齒
	Suzhou	牙子
	Wenzhou	牙齒, 牙
	Jinhua	牙齒
Xiang	Changsha	牙齒
	Loudi	牙齒
	Shuangfeng	牙齒

Compounds

• 人工植牙
• 人牙兒／人牙儿
• 以牙還牙／以牙还牙 (yǐyáhuányá)
• 伯子牙
• 伯牙
• 佛牙 (fóyá)
• 伶牙俐嘴
• 伶牙俐齒／伶牙俐齿
• 伯牙絕絃／伯牙绝弦
• 伯牙鼓琴
• 佶屈聱牙 (jíqū'áoyá)
• 俐齒伶牙／俐齿伶牙
• 倒牙
• 借齒牙／借齿牙
• 假牙 (jiǎyá)
• 冇牙老虎
• 出生牙
• 切齒咬牙／切齿咬牙
• 刷牙 (shuāyá)
• 剔牙 (tīyá)
• 剝牙／剥牙
• 努牙突嘴
• 包牙
• 匈牙利 (Xiōngyálì)
• 叉牙
• 味勝易牙／味胜易牙
• 呲牙
• 呲牙裂嘴
• 咿咿牙牙
• 咬定牙根
• 咬定牙關／咬定牙关
• 咬牙 (yǎoyá)
• 咨牙倈嘴／咨牙俫嘴
• 咬牙切齒／咬牙切齿 (yǎoyáqièchǐ)
• 咬緊牙關／咬紧牙关 (yǎojǐnyáguān)
• 哨牙
• 嗑牙
• 嗑牙料嘴
• 噴牙／喷牙
• 埋牙
• 塞牙
• 塞牙縫／塞牙缝
• 壁牙
• 大牙 (dàyá)
• 大纛高牙
• 奶牙 (nǎiyá)
• 姜子牙
• 子牙河
• 尾牙 (wěiyá)
• 張牙舞爪／张牙舞爪 (zhāngyáwǔzhǎo)
• 彈牙／弹牙 (tányá)
• 心膂爪牙
• 怒目咬牙 (nùmù yǎoyá)
• 房牙子
• 打牙兒／打牙儿
• 打牙巴骨
• 打牙戰／打牙战
• 打牙犯嘴
• 打牙祭 (dǎ yájì)
• 打牙訕口／打牙讪口
• 押牙
• 拔牙 (báyá)
• 拾人牙慧 (shírényáhuì)
• 挑牙
• 挑牙料脣／挑牙料唇
• 換牙／换牙 (huànyá)
• 摩牙
• 新生牙
• 易牙 (Yì Yá)
• 易牙之味
• 易牙蒸子
• 暴牙 (bàoyá)
• 月牙 (yuèyá)
• 月牙泉 (Yuèyáquán)
• 月牙鏟／月牙铲
• 板牙 (bǎnyá)
• 查牙
• 植牙
• 槎牙
• 槽牙 (cáoyá)
• 機牙／机牙
• 毒牙
• 沒牙虎兒／没牙虎儿
• 沾牙
• 洗牙 (xǐyá)
• 海牙 (Hǎiyá)
• 無牙／无牙
• 爪牙 (zhǎoyá)
• 爪牙之士
• 爪牙之將／爪牙之将
• 爪牙吏
• 爪牙官
• 版牙
• 牙人 (yárén)
• 牙儈／牙侩 (yákuài)
• 牙兒／牙儿
• 牙刷 (yáshuā)
• 牙印子
• 牙口
• 牙周 (yázhōu)
• 牙周病 (yázhōubìng)
• 牙垢 (yágòu)
• 牙城
• 牙婆 (yápó)
• 牙子 (yázi)
• 牙官
• 牙家
• 牙將／牙将
• 牙尖嘴利
• 牙幫骨／牙帮骨
• 牙床 (yáchuáng)
• 牙後慧／牙后慧
• 牙慧
• 牙推
• 牙旗
• 牙板
• 牙根 (yágēn)
• 牙根癢癢／牙根痒痒
• 牙根管
• 牙槌
• 牙機／牙机
• 牙橋／牙桥
• 牙櫱／牙蘖
• 牙爪
• 牙牌
• 牙牙 (yáyá)
• 牙牙學語／牙牙学语 (yáyáxuéyǔ)
• 牙疼 (yáténg)
• 牙疳
• 牙疼咒 (yáténgzhòu)
• 牙癢癢／牙痒痒
• 牙白口清
• 牙盤日／牙盘日
• 牙磁
• 牙磣／牙碜
• 牙祭 (yájì)
• 牙科 (yákē)
• 牙科醫學／牙科医学
• 牙稅／牙税
• 牙笏
• 牙管一雙／牙管一双
• 牙箸
• 牙簽犀軸／牙签犀轴
• 牙籌／牙筹
• 牙籤／牙签 (yáqiān)
• 牙籤玉軸／牙签玉轴
• 牙籤萬軸／牙签万轴
• 牙籤錦軸／牙签锦轴
• 牙粉 (yáfěn)
• 牙結石／牙结石
• 牙線／牙线 (yáxiàn)
• 牙縫高低／牙缝高低
• 牙肉 (yáròu)
• 牙膏 (yágāo)
• 牙色
• 牙花
• 牙菌斑 (yájūnbān)
• 牙蟲／牙虫 (yáchóng)
• 牙行 (yáháng)
• 牙買加／牙买加 (Yámǎijiā)
• 牙質／牙质
• 牙輪／牙轮
• 牙道
• 牙郎 (yáláng)
• 牙醫／牙医 (yáyī)
• 牙釉質／牙釉质
• 牙鑽／牙钻
• 牙門／牙门 (yámén)
• 牙關／牙关 (yáguān)
• 牙關緊閉／牙关紧闭
• 牙雕
• 牙音 (yáyīn)
• 牙章
• 牙風／牙风
• 牙骹
• 牙髓 (yásuǐ)
• 牙髓炎
• 牙齒／牙齿 (yáchǐ)
• 牙齦／牙龈 (yáyín)
• 犬牙 (quǎnyá)
• 犬牙交錯／犬牙交错 (quǎnyájiāocuò)
• 犬牙差互
• 犬牙盤石／犬牙盘石
• 犬牙相制
• 犬牙相臨／犬牙相临
• 犬牙相錯／犬牙相错
• 犬牙鷹爪／犬牙鹰爪
• 犯牙兒／犯牙儿
• 狄牙
• 狼牙 (lángyá)
• 狼牙拍
• 狼牙棒
• 獠牙 (liáoyá)
• 當門牙齒／当门牙齿
• 發牙豆／发牙豆
• 盤牙／盘牙
• 矼牙
• 磕牙
• 磕牙料嘴
• 磨牙 (móyá)
• 磨牙手機／磨牙手机
• 禍發齒牙／祸发齿牙
• 禡牙／祃牙
• 科牙磕齒／科牙磕齿
• 笑掉大牙 (xiàodiàodàyá)
• 簷牙／檐牙
• 紅牙／红牙 (hóngyá)
• 紅牙板／红牙板
• 老掉牙 (lǎodiàoyá)
• 聖地牙哥／圣地牙哥 (Shèngdìyágē)
• 聱牙
• 能牙利爪 (néngyálìzhǎo)
• 舞爪張牙／舞爪张牙
• 葡萄牙 (Pútáoyá)
• 虎口拔牙
• 虎牙 (hǔyá)
• 蛀牙 (zhùyá)
• 蟲吃牙／虫吃牙
• 蟲牙／虫牙 (chóngyá)
• 西班牙 (Xībānyá)
• 西班牙港 (Xībānyágǎng)
• 西班牙語／西班牙语 (xībānyáyǔ)
• 討口牙／讨口牙
• 詰屈聱牙／诘屈聱牙 (jíqū'áoyá)
• 課嘴撩牙／课嘴撩牙
• 課牙／课牙
• 象牙 (xiàngyá)
• 象牙塔 (xiàngyátǎ)
• 象牙婚
• 象牙木 (xiàngyámù)
• 象牙海岸 (Xiàngyá Hǎi'àn)
• 象牙貝／象牙贝
• 象牙質／象牙质 (xiàngyázhì)
• 象牙雕
• 鉤爪鋸牙／钩爪锯牙
• 鋸牙／锯牙
• 鋼牙／钢牙 (gāngyá)
• 鋸牙鉤爪／锯牙钩爪
• 鑲牙／镶牙
• 長嘴獠牙／长嘴獠牙
• 門牙／门牙 (ményá)
• 閒打牙兒／闲打牙儿
• 閒磕牙／闲磕牙
• 雀角鼠牙
• 雌牙扮齒／雌牙扮齿
• 雌牙露嘴
• 雌牙鬼
• 青臉獠牙／青脸獠牙
• 青面獠牙 (qīngmiànliáoyá)
• 頭牙／头牙
• 高牙
• 高牙大纛
• 鬥牙拌齒／斗牙拌齿
• 鬥牙鬥齒／斗牙斗齿
• 鼠牙雀角
• 齒牙／齿牙
• 齒牙為猾／齿牙为猾
• 齒牙為禍／齿牙为祸
• 齒牙餘論／齿牙余论
• 齙牙／龅牙 (bāoyá)
• 齜牙／龇牙
• 齜牙咧嘴／龇牙咧嘴 (zīyáliězuǐ)
• 龍牙／龙牙
• 龍牙草／龙牙草 (lóngyácǎo)

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (牙):

• → Japanese: 牙(げ) (ge); 牙(が) (ga)
• → Korean: 아(牙) (a)
• → Vietnamese: nha (牙)

Others:

• → Proto-Tai: *ŋaːᴬ (“tusk, ivory”)
  • Thai: งา (ngaa)
  • Lao: ງາ (ngā)
  • Lü: ᦇᦱ (ngaa)
  • Shan: ငႃး (ngáa)
  • Ahom: 𑜂𑜠 (ṅa)
• → Proto-Vietic: *ŋaː (“ivory”)
  • Vietnamese: ngà

Japanese

Kanji

牙

(Jōyō kanji)

1. tusk, fang

Readings

• Go-on: げ (ge, Jōyō ^†)
• Kan-on: が (ga, Jōyō)
• Kun: きば (kiba, 牙, Jōyō)、き (ki)、かび (kabi, 牙)、は (ha, 牙)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
牙
き Grade: S
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese. Appears in the Man'yōshū.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kʲi]

Noun

牙(き) • (ki) 

1. (obsolete) fang, tusk, tooth (particularly the canine)
   • c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 9, poem 1809:
     ; text here

     牙(き)喫(かみ)建(たけ)怒(び)而(て)

     kikamitakebite

     ferociously gnashing teeth

Usage notes

Although this term is no longer used in isolation, it does persist in certain compounds.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 牙(き)噛(が)む (kigamu): to gnash one's teeth
• 牙(き)骨(ぼね) (kibone): the jawbone, the mandible, the lower jaw

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
牙
きば Grade: S
kun'yomi

Compound of Old Japanese elements 牙 (ki, “fang, tusk”) +‎ 歯 (ha, “tooth”). The ha changes to ba as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) きば [kíꜜbà] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [kʲiba̠]

Noun

牙(きば) • (kiba) 

1. fang, tusk, tooth (particularly the canines)
2. (falconry) dog (primarily used for counting hunting dogs)

Usage notes

This is the most common term for fang in modern Japanese.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 牙(きば)上(じょう)面(めん) (kiba jōmen): ivory or boar tusk used to rub the surface of a print in order to bring out the gloss
• 牙(きば)筍(たけ)貝(がい) (kiba takegai): a kind of auger snail of family Terebridae
• 牙(きば)獐(のろ) (kiba noro): the “fanged noro”, a kind of roe deer of genus Capreolus

Idioms

Idioms

• 牙(きば)を噛(か)む (kiba o kamu): “to bite one's fangs” → to gnash one's teeth
• 牙(きば)を研(と)ぐ (kiba o togu): “to sharpen one's fangs” → to prepare to hurt one's opponent. Compare sharpen one's claws
• 牙(きば)を鳴(な)らす (kiba o narasu): “to clash one's fangs” → to gnash one's teeth; to get angry; to bare one's fangs
• 牙(きば)を剥(む)く (kiba o muku): “to bare one's fangs”
• 牙(きば)あるものは角(つの)無(な)し (kiba aru mono wa tsuno nashi): “the one with fangs has no horns” → a metaphor for how no one is endowed with every advantage

See also

• 門(もん)歯(し) (monshi): incisor tooth
• 犬(けん)歯(し) (kenshi): canine tooth
• 小(しょう)臼(きゅう)歯(し) (shōkyūshi): premolar
• 臼(きゅう)歯(し) (kyūshi): molar
• 象(ぞう)牙(げ) (zōge): elephant tusk, ivory

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
牙
かび Grade: S
kun'yomi

Cognate with, and probably the noun derivation of, verb 黴びる (kabiru, “to go moldy”), from the root idea of something sprouting. Used in the Kojiki.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠bʲi]

Noun

牙(かび) • (kabi) 

1. (obsolete) a plant sprout, a plant bud

Derived terms

• 葦(あし)牙(かび) (ashikabi): a reed sprout or bud

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
牙
は Grade: S
kun'yomi

Non-standard alternative spelling for 歯 (ha, “tooth”).

For pronunciation and definitions of 牙 – see the following entry.

【歯は】3 [noun] tooth [noun] (typography) a unit equal to 1 Q (kyū) and 0.25 mm, abbreviated as H; ha is used for spacing, while Q is used for font size Alternative spelling H

(This term, 牙, is an alternative spelling of the above term.)

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
牙
げ Grade: S
goon

From Middle Chinese 牙 (MC ngae). Compare modern Min Nan reading gê.

The goon reading, so probably the reading as first imported into Japanese.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡe̞]

Noun

牙(げ) • (ge) 

1. an animal's fang or tusk
2. an elephant's tusk: ivory
3. a tooth

Usage notes

The tooth meaning is much more commonly expressed using the word 歯 (ha).

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 牙(げ)の笏(しゃく) (ge no shaku): an ivory mace or scepter, used by certain social classes in ancient Japan
• 牙(げ)歯(し) (geshi): teeth, tusks, or fangs
• 牙(げ)軸(じく) (gejiku): the inner edge of a scroll around which the scroll is wound, or an edge of a folding book to which pages are bound, made of ivory
• 牙(げ)床(しょう), 牙(げ)象(しょう) (geshō): a kind of cutout decorative carving technique for panels, wherein the corners are left intact to reinforce the structure of the panel
• 牙(げ)彫(ぼり) (gebori): a carving made from a tusk or fang, more specifically made of elephant ivory
• 牙(げ)笏(しゃく) (geshaku): an ivory mace or scepter, used by certain social classes in ancient Japan

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
牙
が Grade: S
kan'on

From Middle Chinese 牙 (MC ngae). Compare modern Cantonese reading ngaa⁴.

The kan'on reading, so probably a later importation.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡa̠]

Affix

牙(が) • (ga) 

1. an animal's fang or tusk
2. an elephant's tusk: ivory
3. a tooth

Usage notes

The ga reading is only used in compounds, and is never used in isolation.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 牙(が)営(えい) (gaei): the headquarters of a general in a field camp
• 牙(が)音(おん) (gaon): a velar consonant (obsolete)
• 牙(が)関(かん)緊(きん)急(きゅう) (gakan kinkyū): lockjaw, a common symptom in the early stages of tetanus
• 牙(が)旗(き) (gaki): a flag raised at the site of an emperor's or general's field camp
• 牙(が)行(こう) (gakō): in China, a middleman or go-between in a commercial transaction
• 牙(が)山(ざん) (Gazan): the city of Asan, a port in South Korea
• 牙(が)商(しょう) (gashō): a middleman or go-between in a commercial transaction
• 牙(が)城(じょう) (gajō): the keep or main residence within a castle; a headquarters, a base, a stronghold
• 牙(が)人(じん) (gajin): in China, a middleman or go-between in a commercial transaction
• 牙(が)銭(せん) (gasen): a fee or commission charged by a 牙行(がこう) (gakō)
• 牙(が)虫(むし) (gamushi): a water scavenger beetle of family Hydrophilidae
• 牙(が)斧(ふ) (gafu): a small axe or hatchet made from boar tusk
• 牙(が)保(ほ) (gaho): a middleman or go-between in a commercial transaction
• 牙(が)保(ほ)罪(ざい) (gahozai): the crime of fencing goods known to be stolen
• 牙(が)保(ほ)犯(はん) (gahohan): the crime of fencing goods known to be stolen
• 牙(が)門(もん) (gamon): a gate on which a general's flag is flying; an army's headquarters
• 牙(が)籌(ちゅう) (gachū): an abacus; more specifically, an ivory abacus
• 牙(が)籤(せん), 牙(が)籖(せん) (gasen): a small placard or label made of ivory; a small claw-shaped ivory clasp for holding a book closed
• 牙(が)纛(とう) (gatō): the flag of a general's army, the pole of which was traditionally decorated with ivory on the end
• 牙(が)儈(かい) (gakai): in China, a middleman or go-between in a commercial transaction

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 牙 (MC ngae).

Recorded as Middle Korean ᅌᅡᆼ (Yale: nga) in Dongguk Jeongun (東國正韻 / 동국정운), 1448.

Recorded as Middle Korean 아 (a) (Yale: a) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

Wikisource

牙 (eumhun 어금니 아 (eogeumni a))

1. hanja form^? of 아 (“molar; cheek tooth”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 치아 (齒牙, chia)
• 상아 (象牙, sang'a)
• 아음 (牙音, a'eum)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [1]

Vietnamese

Han character

牙: Hán Nôm readings: nha, ngà

1. chữ Hán form of nha (“tooth”).
2. Nôm form of ngà (“ivory”).

Compounds

• 坡㴜牙 (Bờ Biển Ngà, “Ivory Coast”)
• 牙㺔 (ngà voi, “ivory”)
• 牙士 (nha sĩ, “dentist”)
• 牙科 (nha khoa, “dentistry”)
• 葡萄牙 (Bồ Đào Nha, “Portugal”)
• 西班牙 (Tây Ban Nha, “Spain”)