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智齿 (zhì chǐ) — wisdom tooth

Definition

noun
wisdom tooth
Measure word · 颗

Examples

  • 智齿，。
    Wǒ de zhì chǐ zuì jìn hěn téng, kě néng yào qù bá diào.
    My wisdom tooth has been hurting a lot lately; I might need to have it pulled.
  • 智齿，。
    Yī shēng shuō wǒ cháng le sì kē zhì chǐ, dàn zhǐ yǒu liǎng kē xū yào chǔ lǐ.
    The doctor said I have four wisdom teeth, but only two need treatment.
  • 智齿，。
    Bá zhì chǐ zhī hòu yào zhù yì kǒu qiāng wèi shēng, bì miǎn gǎn rǎn.
    After having a wisdom tooth removed, you should pay attention to oral hygiene to avoid infection.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

智zhìwisdom
齿chǐtooth

智 gives 'wisdom' and 齿 gives 'tooth', naming the tooth associated with maturity.

Characters in this word

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The early form 智 used 大 (adult), 口 (mouth), and 子 (child): an adult speaking to pass knowledge to a child.

Open 智 →

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
Body Parts

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