牙刷

• Pinyin: yá shuā
• Hanzi breakdown: 牙 = tooth; 刷 = 尸 + 刀 (knife) + 毛 (hair/bristle), to brush or scrub

Meaning

Toothbrush. The tool used for cleaning teeth.

A very common everyday word. Typically paired with 牙膏 (toothpaste). Dentists recommend replacing 牙刷 every three months. Also appears in the compound 电动牙刷 (electric toothbrush).

Examples

1. 牙医建议每三个月换一次牙刷。 Dentists recommend replacing your toothbrush every three months.
2. 出门旅行不要忘记带牙刷和牙膏。 Don't forget to bring your toothbrush and toothpaste when you travel.
3. 她给孩子选了一把印有卡通图案的牙刷。 She chose a toothbrush with a cartoon design for her child.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, health

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我需要买一支新牙刷了，这支已经用了很久了。(I need to buy a new toothbrush — this one has been used for a long time.)
• 旅行套装里通常包括牙刷和小瓶牙膏。(A travel kit usually includes a toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste.)

Don't Say

• 把牙刷的量词用错 (Don't use the wrong measure word — the correct measure word for 牙刷 is 把, not 个 or 支, though 支 is also sometimes heard colloquially)

Origin & History

A compound of 牙 (tooth) and 刷 (to brush/scrub). The modern toothbrush entered Chinese daily life in the twentieth century, replacing traditional teeth-cleaning methods.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal