Meaning of 头疼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- headache
How to use 头疼
头疼 describes a literal headache, and it is also very common in a figurative sense for a problem that gives you a headache. You can say 让人头疼 (ràng rén tóuténg) for something troublesome. Example: 这个问题真让我头疼。(Zhège wèntí zhēn ràng wǒ tóuténg.) This problem really gives me a headache.
The word is simply 头 (tóu, head) plus 疼 (téng, to hurt), so it means your head hurts. The 疒 sickness frame on 疼 is a reminder that something is wrong with your body.
Common mistake: Learners often read 头 in this word with a neutral tone, as in 石头 (shítou) or 木头 (mùtou). In 头疼 it keeps its full second tone, tóuténg, so both syllables rise.
头疼 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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疼 téng · hurts · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 头疼.
| 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 头疼
What does 头疼 mean?
头疼 (tóuténg) means "headache" and is used as a adjective.
How do you write 头疼?
头疼 is made of 2 characters: 头 (5 strokes), 疼 (10 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 头疼 an HSK word?
Yes. 头疼 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 头疼 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 头疼 is written 頭疼.
What is the difference between 头疼 and 头痛?
Both mean headache and are often interchangeable. 头疼 sounds more spoken and everyday, while 头痛 (tóutòng) is a bit more formal and is common in written or medical contexts.
How do I say I have a headache in Chinese?
The most natural way is 我头疼 (wǒ tóuténg), with no need for a verb like 有. You can also say 我有点儿头疼 (wǒ yǒudiǎnr tóuténg), I have a bit of a headache.