歯

Pattern visualization

Examples

1. 歯を磨きます。▶ —
   I brush my teeth.
2. 歯が痛い時は歯医者に行きます。▶ —
   When my teeth hurt, I go to the dentist.

Collocations

Mnemonic

は — 歯, Yamato. The homophones 葉 (leaf) and 端 (edge) live in separate slugs — ha-tooth is the one in your mouth. The kanji 歯 is a pictograph: rows of teeth lined up inside the mouth (口), with 止 'stop' on top marking 'fixed in place'. Compounds — 歯医者 haisha (dentist), 歯ブラシ haburashi (toothbrush), 虫歯 mushiba ('worm-tooth') = cavity. Medieval people believed cavities came from a worm gnawing on the tooth — and that name, "the worm's tooth," froze into the language. The Korean reading chi is sister to the onyomi し.

Quick check

1. "To brush teeth" — verb?

   • 磨く migaku (polish/brush — correct)
   • 洗う arau (wash — too general)
   • 掃除する (clean a room, wrong context)
   • ブラシをかける (literal "apply brush", awkward)