# 牙

| 牙 | U+7259, &#29273; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-7259 |
| ← 牘 [U+7258] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 牚 → [U+725A] |
| ⽛ | U+2F5B, &#12123; KANGXI RADICAL FANG |
| ← ⽚ [U+2F5A] | Kangxi Radicals | ⽜ → [U+2F5C] |

## Translingual
### Han character

牙 (Kangxi radical 92, 牙+0, 4 strokes, cangjie input 一女木竹 (MVDH), four-corner 1024$_0$, composition ⿹⿻𠃋丁丿)
* Kangxi radical #92, ⽛.
* 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
### 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 |
| | 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 (ya$^2$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄧㄚˊ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): ya$^2$
    (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): niá
    (Nanjing, Nanjing Pinyin): yá
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): я (i͡a, I) / ня (ni͡a, I)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ngaa$^4$ / ngaa$^{4-2}$
    (Dongguan, Jyutping++): ngaa$^4$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): nga$^3$
    (Yangjiang, Jyutping++): ngaa$^4$
* Gan (Wiktionary): nga$^4$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): ngà
    (Hailu, HRS): nga
    (Meixian, Guangdong): nga$^2$
    (Changting, Changting Pinyin): nga$^2$
* Jin (Wiktionary): nia$^1$ / ia$^1$
* Northern Min (KCR): ngâ
* Eastern Min (BUC): ngà / ngāi
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): gor$^2$ / ga$^2$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): gê / gêe / giêe / gâ
    (Teochew, Peng'im): ghê$^5$
    (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): nge$^5$ / ia$^5$
* Southern Pinghua (Nanning, Jyutping++): njaa$^4$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^6$nga / $^2$nga / $^4$nga / $^2$ngo / $^2$gha / $^6$ya / $^2$ya
* Xiang
    (Changsha, Wiktionary): nga$^2$ / ia$^2$
    (Loudi, Wiktionary): ngo$^2$
    (Hengyang, Wiktionary): nga$^2$ / ia$^2$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: yá
*** Zhuyin: ㄧㄚˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: yá
*** Wade–Giles: ya$^2$
*** Yale: yá
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: ya
*** Palladius: я (ja)
*** Sinological IPA : /jä³⁵/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: ya$^2$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ia
*** Sinological IPA : /ia²¹/
** (Xi'an)
*** Guanzhong Pinyin: niá
*** Sinological IPA : /nia²⁴/
** (Nanjing)
*** Nanjing Pinyin: yá
*** Nanjing Pinyin (numbered): ya$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /ia²⁴/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: я (i͡a, I) / ня (ni͡a, I)
*** Sinological IPA : /ia²⁴/, /nia²⁴/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: ngaa$^4$ / ngaa$^{4-2}$
*** Yale: ngàh / ngá
*** Cantonese Pinyin: ngaa$^4$ / ngaa$^{4-2}$
*** Guangdong Romanization: nga$^4$ / nga$^{4-2}$
*** Sinological IPA : /ŋaː²¹/, /ŋaː²¹⁻³⁵/
** (Dongguan, Guancheng)
*** Jyutping++: ngaa$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /ŋa²¹/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: nga$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /ᵑɡa²²/
** (Yangjiang Yue, Jiangcheng)
*** Jyutping++: ngaa$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /ŋa⁴²/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: nga$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /ŋa³⁵/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngà
*** Hakka Romanization System: nga$^ˇ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: nga$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /ŋa¹¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: nga
*** Sinological IPA: /ŋa⁵⁵/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: nga$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /ŋa¹¹/
** (Changting)
*** Changting Pinyin: nga$^2$
*** Sinological IPA: /ŋa²⁴/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: nia$^1$ / ia$^1$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /nia¹¹/, /ia¹¹/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ngâ
*** Sinological IPA : /ŋa³³/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: ngà / ngāi
*** Sinological IPA : /ŋa⁵³/, /ŋai³³/
* Puxian Min
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: gor$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /kɒ¹³/
** (Putian, Xianyou)
*** Pouseng Ping'ing: ga$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /ka¹³/
* gor2 - vernacular;
* ga2 - literary.
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit牙 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /ia³⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /ia²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /iɑ⁴⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /ia⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /ia⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /ia⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /nia²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /ia²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /ia⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /ia⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /ia⁵¹/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /ia²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /ia³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /ia²¹/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /ia̠³¹/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /iɑ²⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /ia⁵⁵/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /nia¹¹/ /ia¹¹/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /ȵiɑ¹³/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /ia³¹/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /ŋa²³/ /ɦia²³/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /ŋɑ¹³/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /ɦiɑ²¹³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /ŋo³¹/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /ŋa⁴⁴/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /ŋɔ⁴⁴/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /ia¹³/ /ŋa¹³/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /ŋɒ¹²/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /ŋɑ⁴⁵/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /ŋa¹¹/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /ŋɑ¹¹/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /ŋa²¹/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /ŋa²¹/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /ŋa²¹/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /ga³⁵/ /ge³⁵/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /ŋa⁵³/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /ŋa³³/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /ŋẽ⁵⁵/ |
| Min | 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/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /ŋa/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | yá |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | ngaa$^4$ |
* 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
* (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.
* (anatomy) ivory; tusk of elephant
    牙雕 ― yádiāo ― ivory sculpture
* screw thread
* (literary, obsolete) to bite
* (obsolete) Alternative form of 衙 (“government office; yamen”)
* (obsolete) Alternative form of 芽 (yá, “to sprout”)
* (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.
* (historical) broker

#### Synonyms

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

* → 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

### References

* “牙”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## Japanese
### Kanji

(Jōyō kanji)
* 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: [kʲi]

#### Noun

牙(き) • (ki)
* (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

* 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 –)
* IPA: [kʲiba̠]

#### Noun

牙(きば) • (kiba)
* fang, tusk, tooth (particularly the canines)
* (falconry) dog (primarily used for counting hunting dogs)

##### Usage notes

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

##### 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

* 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: [ka̠bʲi]

#### Noun

牙(かび) • (kabi)
* (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: [ɡe̞]

#### Noun

牙(げ) • (ge)
* an animal's fang or tusk
* an elephant's tusk: ivory
* a tooth

##### Usage notes

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

##### 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 ngaa$^4$.
The kan'on reading, so probably a later importation.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [ɡa̠]

#### Affix

牙(が) • (ga)
* an animal's fang or tusk
* an elephant's tusk: ivory
* a tooth

##### Usage notes

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

##### 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

### References

* 1 2 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* 1 2 3 Shōgaku Tosho (1988) 国語大辞典（新装版） [Unabridged Dictionary of Japanese (Revised Edition)] (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, →ISBN

## 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))
* hanja form of 아 (“molar; cheek tooth”)

#### Compounds

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

### References

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

## Vietnamese
### Han character

牙: Hán Nôm readings: nha, ngà
* chữ Hán form of nha (“tooth”).
* 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”)