头筹 (tóu chóu) — first place, top spot (usually in the phrase 拔得…

Definition

Literally 'first tally/token' — means first place or the top spot, used almost exclusively in the set phrase 拔得头筹 ('to win first place').

noun

first placetop spot (usually in the phrase 拔得头筹)

头筹，。
Tā zài zhè cì dà sài zhōng bá dé tóu chóu, huò dé le guàn jūn.
He won first place in this competition and got the championship.
头筹。
Xīn chǎn pǐn de xiāo liàng zài tóng háng yè zhōng bá dé tóu chóu.
The sales of the new product took the top spot in the industry.
头筹，？
Shuí néng zài ào yùn huì shàng bá dé tóu chóu, chéng wéi zhòng rén guān zhù de jiāo diǎn?
Who can win first place at the Olympics and become the focus of everyone's attention?

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

头 marks first, and 筹 is a tally or stake; together they mean the first place.

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 頭; 头 is its simplified writing.

豆頁頭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

豆

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.

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 籌; 筹 is its simplified writing.

竹壽籌

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

壽

壽shòu籌chóu

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 籌 has 竹 (bamboo) on top and 壽 below as the sound part; the simplified 筹 is a later shorthand.