How to say "teeth" in Japanese

Choosing the right word

歯はJLPT N5approx.Common
nounThe common word for a tooth or teeth, human or animal; for the body part, this is almost always the word you want.
その赤あかちゃんは歯はが生はえはじめている。↗
The baby is cutting his teeth.
歯牙しが
nounA less common word for teeth, met mainly in writing and set phrases; for the teeth in your mouth, 歯 is almost always the word you want.
鑢目やすりめ
nounThe teeth of a rasp — the ridged cutting surface of the tool itself — never the teeth in a mouth; you need this word only when talking about the tool.

For the teeth in your mouth use 歯; 歯牙 is a less common synonym you will seldom need; 鑢目 refers only to the teeth of a rasp, never to body teeth.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

Japanese equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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