牙膏

• Pinyin: yá gāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 牙 = pictographic (interlocking teeth shape, extended to mean ivory/tusk); 膏 = 高 + 肉 (high + flesh — a rich, thick substance derived from fat or marrow)

Meaning

Toothpaste. A paste or gel used with a toothbrush to clean and protect teeth.

An everyday household item. Common collocations: 挤牙膏 (squeeze toothpaste), 含氟牙膏 (fluoride toothpaste), 美白牙膏 (whitening toothpaste). Also used metaphorically — 挤牙膏式 describes getting information or results grudgingly, bit by bit, like squeezing a nearly empty tube.

Examples

1. 她每天早晚各刷一次牙，习惯在刷牙前先在牙刷上挤一段适量的含氟牙膏。 She brushes her teeth twice a day, morning and night, and has the habit of squeezing an appropriate amount of fluoride toothpaste onto her toothbrush before she starts.
2. 超市货架上陈列着数十种不同品牌的牙膏，从美白、防蛀到针对敏感牙齿各有侧重。 Supermarket shelves are stocked with dozens of toothpaste brands, each emphasizing something different—from whitening and cavity prevention to formulas for sensitive teeth.
3. 调查人员对嫌疑人进行多次询问，对方每次只肯透露一点点信息，审讯过程如同挤牙膏一般艰难。 Investigators questioned the suspect again and again, but he only gave up a tiny bit of information each time; the interrogation was like pulling teeth.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, health, household

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 牙医建议儿童使用含氟牙膏刷牙，但每次用量不宜超过豌豆大小，以防误吞过多氟化物。(The dentist advised that children should use fluoride toothpaste, but the amount per brushing should not exceed the size of a pea, to prevent swallowing too much fluoride.)
• 由于他不肯主动交代，领导只能一点一点地追问，整个谈话过程犹如挤牙膏，费时又费力。(Since he refused to volunteer information, the manager had to extract it piece by piece — the entire conversation was like squeezing toothpaste, tedious and exhausting.)

Don't Say

• 刷牙膏 — 牙膏 is used alongside 刷牙, not as a standalone verb object; say 用牙膏刷牙 or 挤牙膏 depending on the action; 刷牙膏 sounds as if one is brushing the toothpaste itself

Origin & History

牙 (tooth) + 膏 (paste/ointment)

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal