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打头阵 (dǎ tóu zhèn) — to take the lead; to be the first to do something (especially in a risky or challenging situation)

Definition

Idiomatic verb meaning to lead from the front — being the first into a difficult or risky task. Most common in military, sports, and team-work contexts.

verb
to take the leadto be the first to do something (especially in a risky or challenging situation)

Examples

  • 打头阵。
    Tā zǒng xǐ huan zài tuán duì lǐ dǎ tóu zhèn.
    He always likes to take the lead in the team.
  • ，打头阵。
    Zhè cì rèn wu, yóu xiǎo lǐ dǎ tóu zhèn.
    Xiao Li will take the lead on this mission.
  • 打头阵。
    Tā yǐ jīng zài gōng sī dǎ guò yí cì dǎ tóu zhèn le.
    He has already taken the lead once at the company.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

打dǎfight
头阵first formation
头tóufirst阵zhènformation
偏正Modifier + head

打 (fight) with 头阵 (first formation) means to fight in the vanguard, hence take the lead.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
扌Written in full as手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng打dǎ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

打 uses 扌, a hand, to show an action done with the hand, and 丁 to give the sound.

Open 打 →

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 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 陣; 阵 is its simplified writing.

  • 東東dōngsack?
  • 東東dōng
  • 攴攴pū

In the traditional form 陣, a left-side part was added to a shortened 東; the older shape also used 攴. The simplified 阵 is a later shorthand.

Open 阵 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesMilitary & Defense

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