Korean word

치아

Pronunciation

Romanizationchia

Meaning

  • nountooth

Example

치아가 아파요.chi a ga a pa yo

My tooth hurts.

Illustration for 치아 (tooth)

More examples

치아를 닦을 때 잇몸을 다치지 않도록 조심하세요.chi a reul ta kkeul ttae in mo meul ta chi ji an to rok cho sim ha se yo

Be careful not to hurt your gums when brushing your teeth.

Core concept

A hard structure set in the gums that breaks up food and helps shape speech sounds.

Common phrases

  • 치아를 닦다chi a reul tak tta

    brush one's teeth

  • 치아가 썩다chi a ga sseok tta

    a tooth decays

  • 치아가 흔들리다chi a ga heun deul li da

    a tooth becomes loose

Similar words

이i: The usual everyday term for a tooth.
이빨ippal: A familiar casual term for a tooth in people or animals.
송곳니songgonni: A sharp tooth near the front of the mouth used for tearing food.
어금니eogeumni: A large back tooth that crushes and grinds food.

Definition in Korean

치아는 잇몸에 박혀 있어 음식을 씹고 발음을 돕는 입 속의 단단한 구조물이다.chi a neun in mo me pa kyeo i sseo eum si geul ssip kko pa reu meul tom neun ip so gui tan dan han ku jo mu ri da

Word origin

This noun comes from a Sino-Korean compound meaning tooth and tusk, which became an established word for a tooth.

Usage tips

  • It is especially useful in dental and medical settings, while everyday Korean often uses a shorter word for the same body part.

Related words

  • 치아교정chiagyojeongorthodonticsnoun

Word lists with this word