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咬牙切齿 (yǎo yá qiè chǐ) — (idiom) to gnash one's teeth in anger; to be filled with hatred or fury

Definition

A vivid chengyu meaning to gnash one's teeth in rage — emphasizes deep, burning hatred, not just momentary anger. Pairs with 气得/恨得 to express the intensity of the feeling.

idiom
to gnash one's teeth in angerto be filled with hatred or fury

Examples

  • ，咬牙切齿。
    Tīng dào zhè ge xiāo xi, tā qì dé yǎo yá qiè chǐ.
    When he heard the news, he was so angry he gnashed his teeth.
  • 咬牙切齿。
    Tā duì nà ge piàn zi hèn dé yǎo yá qiè chǐ.
    She hated that swindler so much she ground her teeth.
  • ，咬牙切齿，。
    Bǐ sài shū le, duì yuán men gè gè yǎo yá qiè chǐ, fā shì xià cì yào yíng huí lái.
    After losing the match, every team member was gnashing their teeth and vowed to win next time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

咬牙gnash teeth
咬yǎobite/gnash牙yátooth
动宾Verb + object
切齿cut teeth
切qiècut齿chǐtooth
动宾Verb + object

咬 with 牙 gives gnashing teeth, and 切 with 齿 parallels it, intensifying anger.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒumouth
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo咬yǎo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

咬 is built from 口, meaning mouth, and 交, which gives the sound.

Open 咬 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 牙 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
七
七qī切qiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Open 切 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 齒; 齿 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 齒 originally drew a mouth full of teeth, and later gained a part that gives a clue to its sound. The simplified 齿 is a later shorthand.

Open 齿 →
Appears in
HSK 2.0 Level 6Emotions & FeelingsIdioms & Set Phrases

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