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探头 (tàn tóu) — to stretch out one's head (to look, peek); (figurative) to probe, to snoop, to poke one's nose into

Definition

探头 (tàn tóu) literally means to stick one's head out to peek — used for the physical action of leaning forward or out to look. In figurative use, it means nosing into other people's business.

verb
to stretch out one's head (to look, peek)(figurative) to probeto snoopto poke one's nose into

Examples

  • ，。
    Tā zhàn zài mén kǒu, tàn chū tóu lái kàn le yí xià.
    He stood at the door, stuck his head out, and took a look.
  • 。
    Bié zǒng shì hào qí dì tàn tóu tàn nǎo.
    Don't always curiously poke your head around.
  • 探头。
    Bú yào suí biàn wǎng bié rén jiā lǐ tàn tóu.
    Don't casually stick your head into other people's homes.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

探tànextend
头tóuhead

探 extends and 头 is the head, giving the act of stretching out the head.

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
𥥍
𥥍𥥍探tàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 探, the 扌 part is a hand, and 𥥍 gives the sound.

Open 探 →

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
Senses

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