entries → 咬
TSUMUGU · TOCFL B1 (est.) · 字
咬 character · TOCFL B1 (est.)
咬 ＝ 口 ＋ 交
ㄧㄠˇ · yǎo
verb — to bite, gnaw; to grip in the teeth; to pin the blame on

字源 FORM — what the parts do

口義the mouth, the teeth
交聲jiāo — gives the soundtwo legs crossing
ITjiāo → yǎo — the j drops to a y-glide; tone shifts
The mouth (口) with its jaws crossing shut (交) — to bite. 交 jiāo carries the sound, worn to yǎo. From the closing teeth: 咬牙、咬人、咬住, and the figurative 反咬一口.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

上下牙一交（交），喀的一聲在嘴（口）裡夾緊——咬住了。
The upper and lower teeth cross (交) and snap shut in the mouth (口) — it bites down.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)咬、啃— to bite, gnaw常用
→咬牙、咬住— to clench; to grip in the teeth
⇒反咬、咬定— to pin the blame; to insist
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
齩yǎothe older twin — 齩 bites with the teeth 齒, 咬 with the mouth 口交jiāothe sound donor — two legs crossing