蛀牙

zhùyá

noun

Measure Word

一颗蛀牙 kē

Meanings

1 tooth decay
2 dental cavity
3 rotten tooth

Characters

to be eaten by insects

Examples

HSK 3

小孩子吃太多糖容易长蛀牙。

Xiǎoháizi chī tài duō táng róngyì zhǎng zhùyá.

Kids who eat too much candy easily get cavities.

HSK 5

医生给我补了两颗蛀牙。

Yīshēng gěi wǒ bǔ le liǎng kē zhùyá.

The dentist filled two of my cavities.

HSK 6

我这颗蛀牙疼得睡不着觉。

Wǒ zhè kē zhùyá téng de shuì bù zháo jiào.

This cavity hurts so bad I can't sleep.

Tips

memory

蛀 means 'wood-boring insect' - Chinese imagines cavities as tiny worms eating holes in your teeth (小虫子在吃牙齿), a metaphor still used in children's toothpaste ads.

Stroke Order

蛀 zhù

牙 yá