蛀牙 zhùyá tooth decay
tooth decay; dental caries; decayed tooth; rotten tooth
How to remember 蛀牙: 蛀 termite + 牙 tooth = tooth decay.
Characters
How it is used
- A cavity / decayed tooth, and by extension tooth decay - 我有蛀牙 (wǒ yǒu zhùyá) I have a cavity.
- Everyday medical/dental word; 蛀 literally means 'insect-eaten', the image behind a rotten tooth.
- The formal clinical term is 龋齿 (qǔchǐ); 蛀牙 is what people actually say.
Example sentences
- 我蛀牙很多。 Wǒ zhùyá hěnduō.I have a lot of bad teeth.