fang

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 牙 has 4 strokes and denotes an animal's fang or tusk.
• Basic usage: 牙 is read きば, and 象牙 is read ぞうげ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Fangs and ivory
  • 白く鋭い牙 means sharp white fangs.
  • 象の牙 means an elephant's tusk.
  • 象牙に細かな模様を彫った means carving a delicate design in ivory.
• Reading within the word
  • 牙 in 象牙 is read げ.