Japanese word

歯

Pronunciation

Romajiha

Meaning

  • nounteeth

Example

毎日歯をみがきます。mai nichi ha o mi ga ki ma su

I brush my teeth every day.

Illustration for 歯 (teeth)

More examples

毎朝、歯をみがきます。mai asa ha o mi ga ki ma su

I brush my teeth every morning.

冷たい水を飲むと、歯がしみます。tsume ta i mizu o no mu to ha ga shi mi ma su

My teeth hurt when I drink cold water.

Core concept

歯 (ha, "tooth") refers to the hard structures in the mouth that bite and chew food, whether one or many are meant.

Common phrases

  • 歯をみがくha o mi ga ku

    brush one's teeth

  • 歯が痛いha ga ita i

    have a toothache

  • 歯が抜けるha ga nu ke ru

    lose a tooth

Definition in Japanese

口の中にあって、食べ物をかみ切ったりすりつぶしたりする硬い器官。kuchi no naka ni a tte ta be mono o ka mi ki tta ri su ri tsu bu shi ta ri su ru kata i ki kan

Word origin

The native Japanese noun 歯 (ha, "tooth") is recorded in Old Japanese as pa, an earlier form that changed to modern ha.

Usage tips

  • Japanese commonly counts individual teeth with 本 (hon), a counter for long, thin objects, so one tooth is 一本 (ippon) and two teeth are 二本 (nihon).

Other meanings

  • toothnoun

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