咬

• Pinyin: yǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 咬 = 口 (mouth) + 交 (cross), to bite

Meaning

To bite. Using teeth to grip, cut, or chew something.

Used for animals biting, humans biting food, or metaphorically for 'biting' in phrases like 咬牙 (to grit one's teeth, persevere) or 咬文嚼字 (to be pedantic about wording). Can also mean to pronounce clearly (咬字清楚).

Examples

1. 小狗咬坏了我的新鞋子。 The puppy chewed up my new shoes.
2. 这个苹果太硬了，咬不动。 This apple is too hard — I can't bite through it.
3. 她咬了咬嘴唇，没有说话。 She bit her lip and said nothing.

Usage Guide

Context: eating, animals, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 小心别被狗咬了。(Be careful not to get bitten by the dog.)
• 咬一口试试味道。(Take a bite to taste it.)

Don't Say

• 我咬了饭 (咬 is for biting/gripping — use 吃 for eating rice/meals)

Origin & History

Composed of 口 (mouth) and 交 (to cross/exchange), suggesting the crossing of teeth when biting.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal