[[Characters]] #Characters \ #Anatomy-and-Living \ #Human-Body # 牙 yá tooth; dens ## Components [[牙 (yá)]] [[牙 yá]] ## Meaning Today, the character "牙" primarily refers to teeth, including both incisors and molars. It's a general term for the set of teeth in the human mouth. ## History The character "牙" originally depicted large teeth, specifically molars or what we now call "fangs". It was a pictographic character, resembling the intertwined shape of two upper and lower animal teeth in ancient inscriptions. Over time, it came to represent teeth in general. Since teeth are used for biting, "牙" evolved to also signify the action of biting or chewing. Additionally, historically, individuals who facilitated successful transactions and received commissions were called "牙人". Furthermore, "牙" was used to refer to junior military officers in ancient times. Besides its literal meaning, "牙" was also used interchangeably with "伢", meaning a child or a young person. In modern usage, "牙" broadly refers to teeth, encompassing both incisors and molars. In ancient times, the term specifically referred to the anterior teeth as "齿", while the molars were termed "牙". However, in contemporary language, both types are collectively referred to as "牙齿". ## Evolution ### Oracular Script ![[牙 yá - ora.svg]] ### Bronze Script ![[牙 yá - bronce.svg]] ### Seal Script ![[牙 yá - sello.svg]] ### Clerical Script ![[牙 yá - cle.svg]] ### Regular Script ![[牙 yá - reg.svg]]