Traditional: 齩
yǎo HSK 5

English Meaning

Categories

📚 Example Sentences

狗咬了我的裤子。
Gǒu yǎo le wǒ de kùzi.
The dog bit my pants.
他咬了一口苹果。
Tā yǎo le yī kǒu píngguǒ.
He took a bite of the apple.
蚊子咬了我的胳膊。
Wénzi yǎo le wǒ de gēbo.
A mosquito bit my arm.
狗咬了我的手。
Gǒu yǎo le wǒ de shǒu.
The dog bit my hand.
别咬你的笔。
Bié yǎo nǐ de bǐ.
Don't chew your pen.

💡 Memory Tip

Imagine the character 咬: the left side 口 (mouth) shows it's related to the mouth, and the right side 交 (jiāo) resembles crossed teeth biting down. Think: 'Your mouth crosses (交) with something when you bite.'

📝 Usage Notes

Used in both spoken and written Chinese, in formal and informal contexts. Common in descriptions of animals biting, people biting food, or figurative uses like 'biting cold' or 'biting criticism.' It's a straightforward, everyday verb.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used as a transitive verb (e.g., 咬苹果, bite an apple). Can be used in resultative complements like 咬伤 (bite and injure) or 咬断 (bite off). Also appears in idioms like 咬文嚼字 (to nitpick over words).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, '咬' can appear in idioms with moral lessons, such as '狗咬吕洞宾' (a dog bites Lü Dongbin—meaning to wrong a kind person). It's also used in children's stories to warn about safety, like not approaching animals that might bite.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 啃 (kěn, 'to gnaw' or 'nibble persistently'), 咬 is more general for any biting action. 嚼 (jiáo, 'to chew') focuses on grinding food with teeth, while 咬 emphasizes the initial gripping or cutting action.

Master this word with quizzes, flashcards & more

Learn in CILI →

Related Words