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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner

How do you say "toothpaste" in Chinese?

牙膏

yá gāo

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "toothpaste" is 牙膏.

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Pronunciation

Say 'yah' (rising tone) then 'gow' (rising tone). Two syllables, both rising pitch.

Writing and usage

Two characters. 牙 means tooth (four strokes), 膏 means paste or ointment (fourteen strokes). Common descriptive pairing.

Example sentence

我用牙膏刷牙。

I brush my teeth with toothpaste.

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How to remember 牙膏

牙 is tooth (same as in toothbrush). 膏 looks thick and heavy, perfect for a paste. Think 'tooth-paste' sound.

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Questions about 牙膏

How do you say "toothpaste" in Chinese?

In Chinese, "toothpaste" is 牙膏. It is a noun.

How is 牙膏 written in Chinese?

Two characters. 牙 means tooth (four strokes), 膏 means paste or ointment (fourteen strokes). Common descriptive pairing.

How is 牙膏 used in a sentence?

Use 牙膏 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 我用牙膏刷牙。 (I brush my teeth with toothpaste.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

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"Toothpaste" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

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