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个头儿 (gè tóu r) — (colloquial) size (of an object, especially fruit, vegetables, etc.); (colloquial) height, stature (of a person)

Definition

Colloquial word for the size of an object (often fruit or vegetables) or a person's height. Use 个子 for height of people; 尺寸 for clothing/object measurements.

noun
(colloquial) size (of an object, especially fruit, vegetables, etc.)(colloquial) heightstature (of a person)

Examples

  • 个头儿。
    Zhè ge xī guā gè tóu r zhēn bù xiǎo.
    This watermelon is really not small in size.
  • 个头儿，。
    Tā gè tóu r suī rán bú dà, dàn lì qi hěn dà.
    Although he is not tall, he is very strong.
  • 个头儿？
    Nǐ mǎi de píng guǒ gè tóu r yǒu duō dà?
    How big are the apples you bought?

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

个头size/height
个gèindividual头tóu
儿ércolloquial

The spoken form 个头儿 means size or height, especially of a person; the 儿 sound marks colloquial Mandarin.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 個; 个 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
固
固gù個ge
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For 个, the form 個 pairs 亻 (person) with 固 as a sound part.

Open 个 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yèhead
Sound part声符shēngfú
豆
豆dòu頭tóu
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頭 shows 頁, meaning head, beside 豆 as a sound component; the simplified 头 is a later shorthand.

Open 头 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 儿 is a simple drawing of a standing person, used as an alternate form of the character for person.

Open 儿 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Size & Dimension

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