Meaning of 首脑
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- head (of state)
- summit (meeting)
- leader
How to use 首脑
首脑 is a formal word used mostly in news and politics for top leaders of states or governments. It often appears in set phrases like 首脑会议 (shǒunǎo huìyì) summit meeting. Example: 两国首脑举行了会谈。(Liǎng guó shǒunǎo jǔxíng le huìtán.) The leaders of the two countries held talks.
首 (shǒu) means head and 脑 (nǎo) means brain, so 首脑 is the head and brain of a country or group. Picture the person at the very top who does the thinking for everyone.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 首脑 for an everyday boss or team leader, but it sounds far too grand there. Use 老板 (lǎobǎn) or 领导 (lǐngdǎo) instead. Also do not confuse it with 头脑 (tóunǎo), which means brains or mind, not a leader.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
首 shǒu · head · 9 strokes
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脑 nǎo · brain · 10 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 首脑.
| 电脑 | diànnǎo | computer |
| 首先 | shǒuxiān | first of all; in the first place |
| 头脑 | tóunǎo | brains; mind |
| 首都 | shǒudū | capital (city) |
| 脑袋 | nǎodai | head; skull |
| 大脑 | dànǎo | brain; cerebrum |
| 脑子 | nǎozi | brains; mind |
| 首相 | shǒuxiàng | prime minister (of Japan or UK etc) |
| 首席 | shǒuxí | seat of honor; chief (representative, correspondent etc) |
| 首次 | shǒucì | first; first time |
| 元首 | yuánshǒu | head of state |
| 脑海 | nǎohǎi | the mind; the brain |
Questions about 首脑
What does 首脑 mean?
首脑 (shǒunǎo) means "head (of state); summit (meeting)" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 首脑?
首脑 is made of 2 characters: 首 (9 strokes), 脑 (10 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 首脑 an HSK word?
Yes. 首脑 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 首脑 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 首脑 is written 首腦.
What is the difference between 首脑 and 领导人?
Both can refer to top leaders. 领导人 (lǐngdǎorén) is more general and common, while 首脑 specifically points to the very highest leader, such as a head of state or government, and is more formal.
How do you say summit meeting in Chinese?
You can say 首脑会议 (shǒunǎo huìyì) or 峰会 (fēnghuì). 峰会 is shorter and very common in news headlines.