TongTong
Sign in

剃头 (tì tóu) — to shave one's head; to get a haircut (especially with a razor); (v.o.) to give a haircut; to shave someone's head

Definition

A verb-object phrase for shaving the head with a razor — the cut (not just a trim). Reflexive/patient sense (get shaved) and causative sense (give someone a shave) both use the same form.

verb
to shave one's headto get a haircut (especially with a razor)(v.o.) to give a haircutto shave someone's head

Examples

  • ，剃头。
    Tiān qì tài rè le, wǒ xiǎng qù tì tóu.
    It's too hot; I want to go get a haircut.
  • 。
    Wǒ zuó tiān tì le yí gè tóu.
    I got a haircut yesterday.
  • 剃头，。
    Tā měi gè yuè dōu yào tì tóu, bǎo chí guāng tóu.
    He gets his head shaved every month to keep it bald.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

剃tìshave
头tóuhead

剃 (shave) + 头 (head) describes shaving the head.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 剃 →

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 →
Appears in
Hygiene & Grooming

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.