jaw

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The on reading is がく, and the kun reading is あご. It has 18 strokes. It appears in words for the jaw or chin and the jaw joint.
• Basic usage: 顎 is read あご and 顎関節 is read がくかんせつ.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 顎 / 顎関節
  • 顎 means jaw or chin and is read あご. It refers to the jaw or chin used in chewing or touched while thinking.
  • 硬い物をかんだら顎が痛くなった。 means “My jaw hurt after chewing something hard.”
  • 顎関節 means jaw joint and is read がくかんせつ. It refers to the jaw joint whose movement or structure can be examined with a model or diagram.
  • 授業では模型を使って顎関節の動きを観察した。 means “In class, we observed the movement of the jaw joint using a model.”