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来头 (lái tóu) — background, connections, or backing (of a person, often implying influence); motive or reason behind someone's words or actions; (colloquial) interest, fun, or excitement

Definition

来头 refers to someone's background or backing — typically the influence, connections, or hidden motive that explains why a person (or their words) carry weight. Often used to suggest there's more behind a person than meets the eye.

noun
backgroundconnectionsor backing (of a person, often implying influence)motive or reason behind someone's words or actions(colloquial) interestfunor excitement

Examples

  • 来头，。
    Zhè ge rén hěn yǒu lái tóu, dà jiā dōu duì tā hěn kè qi.
    This person has influential backing; everyone is polite to him.
  • 来头，。
    Tā shuō huà yǒu lái tóu, bú shì suí biàn shuō de.
    There's a motive behind his words; he doesn't speak casually.
  • 来头，。
    Zhè ge yóu xì méi shén me lái tóu, wán qǐ lái méi yì si.
    This game isn't very interesting; it's boring to play.

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.

来láicome
头tóumatter

来 points to origin or coming, and 头 contributes a sense of matter, so it means background.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 來; 来 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 來 shows a wheat plant: a central ear, upward leaves, and downward stem and roots. The simplified 来 is a later shorthand.

Open 来 →

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
Abstract Concepts

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