牙 means “fang, tusk”

きば · kiba

Also: tusk radical (no. 92)

Kun'yomi (Japanese reading)

きば, は

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

ガ, ゲ

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 5 strokes

The story

Upper and lower teeth locking together: the Shuowen reads 牙 as a picture of the great back teeth. Now it is a fang or tusk: 象牙, elephant tusk, is ivory, and a rival's 牙城 is the stronghold they defend to the last.

Used in 牙 (kiba, fang/tusk), 象牙 (zouge, ivory), and 牙城 (gajou, stronghold)

More from Beasts & Wings

• 蚊 mosquito
• 蜂 bee
• 雄 male (animal)
• 尾 tail
• 翼 wing
• 鶴 crane
• 巣 nest
• 虎 tiger
• 昆 insects
• 獣 beast
• 殻 shell
• 鶏 chicken

Learn 牙 and more kanji free on Fuji Learning · All kanji

Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.