头头

tóu

HSK 2HSK 2 (Write)Most Common

Basic Meaning

physical body part

head; the top part of the human body or the front part of an animal's body

脑袋，人身体的最上部分或动物身体的最前面的部分。

Words:

头骨头脑头脸头颅剃头分头

Synonyms:

冠首

Antonyms:

尾脚

Sentences:

他(tā)的(de)头(tóu)骨(gǔ)很(hěn)硬(yìng)
His skull is very hard.
我(wǒ)昨(zuó)天(tiān)剃(tì)了(le)头(tóu)
I got a haircut yesterday.

often used with 儿 in colloquial speech

beginning or end of something

（~儿）事情的起点或终点。

Words:

话头儿有头有尾到头从头开头

Sentences:

这(zhè)个(ge)故(gù)事(shì)有(yǒu)头(tóu)有(yǒu)尾(wěi)
This story has a beginning and an end.
我(wǒ)们(men)从(cóng)头(tóu)开(kāi)始(shǐ)吧(ba)
Let's start from the beginning.

colloquial, often used with 儿

leader; boss

（～儿）为首的人；头目。

Words:

头儿工头儿土匪头儿头目领头

Sentences:

他(tā)是(shì)我(wǒ)们(men)公(gōng)司(sī)的(de)头(tóu)儿(r)
He is the boss of our company.
工(gōng)头(tóu)儿(r)负(fù)责(zé)管(guǎn)理(lǐ)工(gōng)人(rén)
The foreman is responsible for managing the workers.

used in contexts like dividing tasks or attention

aspect; side

方面。

Words:

分头去找心挂两头

Sentences:

我(wǒ)们(men)分(fēn)头(tóu)去(qù)找(zhǎo)丢(diū)失(shī)的(de)钥(yào)匙(shi)
We split up to look for the lost keys.
他(tā)心(xīn)挂(guà)两(liǎng)头(tóu)，无(wú)法(fǎ)专(zhuān)心(xīn)
His mind is divided between two things, so he can't focus.

refers to the physical extremity of things

tip; top; end of an object

物体的顶端。

Words:

山头笔头烟头布头蜡头儿

Sentences:

山(shān)头(tóu)上(shàng)有(yǒu)一(yī)棵(kē)树(shù)
There is a tree on the hilltop.
笔(bǐ)头(tóu)坏(huài)了(le)，需(xū)要(yào)换(huàn)新(xīn)的(de)
The pen tip is broken and needs to be replaced.

used as a measure word for ranking or classification

first; top; foremost

第一；次序在最前的。

Words:

头等头号头班头版头条

Synonyms:

冠

Sentences:

这(zhè)是(shì)头(tóu)等(děng)大(dà)事(shì)
This is a top priority matter.
头(tóu)条(tiáo)新(xīn)闻(wén)很(hěn)重(zhòng)要(yào)
The headline news is very important.

adj

adjective form indicating precedence in order

first; initial (often used before quantifiers)

次序居先的；最前的（多用在数量词前）。

Words:

头几天头趟头一遍头几个头半本

Sentences:

头(tóu)几(jǐ)天(tiān)他(tā)不(bú)太(tài)适(shì)应(yìng)新(xīn)工(gōng)作(zuò)
In the first few days, he didn't adapt well to the new job.
头(tóu)一(yí)遍(biàn)练(liàn)习(xí)很(hěn)简(jiǎn)单(dān)
The first round of practice is very simple.

refers to entities that lead or come first

leading; first in order

领头的；次序居先的。

Words:

头羊头雁头领头车头马

Sentences:

头(tóu)羊(yáng)带(dài)领(lǐng)羊(yáng)群(qún)前(qián)进(jìn)
The lead sheep guides the flock forward.
头(tóu)车(chē)在(zài)车(chē)队(duì)的(de)最(zuì)前(qián)面(miàn)
The lead car is at the front of the convoy.

specific measure word usage

measure word for certain animals, garlic, or marriages (limited to 'one' for marriages)

①用于某些动物。②用于大蒜。③用于亲事（数词限于“一”）

Sentences:

他(tā)买(mǎi)了(le)一(yī)头(tóu)牛(niú)
He bought a cow.
我(wǒ)需(xū)要(yào)一(yī)头(tóu)大(dà)蒜(suàn)
I need a head of garlic.

prep

preposition used in spoken Chinese

before; near (introducing time in colloquial speech)

〈口〉引进动作行为的时间，相当于“在……之前、临近”。

Words:

临头

Sentences:

秋(qiū)天(tiān)快(kuài)到(dào)头(tou)了(le)，树(shù)叶(yè)开(kāi)始(shǐ)逐(zhú)渐(jiàn)变(biàn)黄(huáng)。
Autumn is almost over, and the leaves are starting to turn yellow.

Writing & Component

Radical大

Structuresingle

Stroke Count5

Strokes丶丶一丿丶

Common Words

inside; within

hair

approval, understanding, greeting.