Origin

This character most likely started as a pictograph of a tusk or fang. The two main strokes represent the curved shape of a tooth jutting out from the jaw, with one stroke showing the main body of the tusk and the other showing its angle or point. Over time, the picture became more abstract and stylized into the modern form, but it still resembles the basic idea of something sharp and protruding from the mouth. This is why the character means tusk or fang and is used as a component in other characters related to teeth and biting.