牙 yá
“tooth; ivory”
noun2021 list level 4Measure word 颗
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
牙 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 916: 牙 yá — Level 3; official annotation 3 (名). PDF page 102
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 牙
牙 is a noun meaning 'tooth'; it is the everyday word for a tooth, used with the classifier 颗 and in common collocations such as 刷牙, 拔牙, 补牙, 牙疼 and 牙医. It can also appear in 象牙 meaning 'ivory', but that sense is less common at this level.
例句Example sentences
- 这颗牙有点儿疼，我想去看牙医。zhè kē yá yǒu diǎnr téng, wǒ xiǎng qù kàn yá yī.This tooth hurts a little; I want to see a dentist.
- 他每天早晚都刷牙。tā měi tiān zǎo wǎn dōu shuā yá.He brushes his teeth every morning and evening.
- 孩子昨天掉了一颗牙。hái zi zuó tiān diào le yì kē yá.The child lost a tooth yesterday.
易混词Easily confused
牙vs齿
齿 is more formal and usually bound, as in 牙齿 or 齿轮, and is not normally used alone in everyday speech; use 牙 for a tooth in ordinary conversation.