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臼歯 (きゅうし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

臼きゅう歯し

also: うすば

きゅ

う

し

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

molar; grinder; premolar

Refers to the back teeth used for grinding food. In everyday conversation, 奥歯 (おくば) is more common; 臼歯 is a technical or anatomical term.

臼きゅう歯しは食たべ物ものをすりつぶす役やく割わりをしている。
The molars play the role of grinding food.
歯し科か医いが臼きゅう歯しの虫むし歯ばを治ち療りょうした。

Written forms

臼歯Usage100%
- きゅうし
  Standard kanji spelling for molar teeth, using the reading きゅうし.
- うすば
  Alternate reading うすば is less common and may be encountered in older or specialized contexts.

The dentist treated a cavity in a molar.

うすば

Kanji

臼mortar
歯tooth, cog

Similar words

奥おく歯ば
奥歯 is the common, everyday word for back teeth or molars, while 臼歯 is a more technical or anatomical term.
前まえ歯ば
前歯 refers to the front teeth (incisors and canines), contrasting with 臼歯 which are the back grinding teeth.

Etymology

Compound of 臼 (usu, 'mortar') and 歯 (ha, 'tooth'), referring to the grinding function of these teeth. The reading きゅうし is the on'yomi, while うすば is a kun'yomi-based reading.