Meaning of 头
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- head
- hair style
- the top
- end
- beginning or end
- a stub
- remnant
- chief
Measure word: 個|个
- suffix for nouns
How to use 头
As a noun, 头 (tóu) means head, as in 点头 (diǎntóu, to nod) or 头发 (tóufa, hair). It is also a common noun suffix read in the neutral tone, as in 石头 (shítou, stone), 木头 (mùtou, wood) and 里头 (lǐtou, inside). Example: 我头疼。(Wǒ tóu téng.) My head hurts.
Picture 头 (tóu) as a head seen from the front: the two dots on the left are like eyes, and the strong strokes below form the face and neck. The head is the top of the body, which is why 头 also means the top, the beginning, or the end of something.
Common mistake: Learners often say the suffix with a full second tone, but in words like 石头 (shítou) and 木头 (mùtou) it should be light and neutral. Also, do not confuse 头 with 买 (mǎi, to buy), which has a similar lower part but a different top.
头 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
头 tóu · head · 5 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 头.
| 头发 | tóufa | hair (on the head) |
| 里头 | lǐtou | inside; interior |
| 点头 | diǎntóu | to nod |
| 石头 | shítou | stone |
| 头脑 | tóunǎo | brains; mind |
| 木头 | mùtou | wood; log (CL:塊|块[kuai4],根[gen1]); (fig.) blockhead; dolt |
| 老头儿 | lǎotóur | see 老頭子|老头子[lao3 tou2 zi5] |
| 镜头 | jìngtóu | camera lens; camera shot (in a movie etc) |
| 骨头 | gǔtou | bone; moral character |
| 后头 | hòutou | behind; the back |
| 前头 | qiántou | in front; at the head |
| 回头 | huítóu | to turn round; to turn one's head; later; by and by |
Questions about 头
What does 头 mean?
头 (tóu) means "head; hair style" and is used as a noun, measure word, suffix and adjective.
How do you write 头?
头 is made of 1 character: 头 (5 strokes). That is 5 strokes in total.
Is 头 an HSK word?
Yes. 头 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 头 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 头 is written 頭.
Can 头 be used as a measure word?
Yes. 头 is a measure word for large animals like cattle and pigs, as in 一头牛 (yì tóu niú, one cow). It can also be used for garlic bulbs, as in 一头蒜 (yì tóu suàn).
What does 头 mean in time expressions like 头三天?
Before a number, 头 means the first, as in 头三天 (tóu sān tiān, the first three days). This comes from the idea of the head being the front or beginning of something.