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榜首 (bǎng shǒu) — first place; top ranking (in a contest, chart, etc.)

Definition

Literally 'top of the list/board': the #1 position on a ranking, chart, or contest. Used with verbs like 占据、登上、位居 to express holding or reaching first place.

noun
first placetop ranking (in a contest, chart, etc.)

Examples

  • 榜首。
    Zhè jiā gōng sī de chǎn pǐn lián xù sān gè yuè zhàn jù shì chǎng bǎng shǒu.
    This company's product has held the top spot in the market for three consecutive months.
  • ，榜首。
    Tā píng jiè chū sè de biǎo xiàn, chéng gōng dēng shàng pái háng bǎng bǎng shǒu.
    Thanks to his outstanding performance, he successfully reached the top of the rankings.
  • 榜首。
    Zhè bù diàn yǐng shàng yìng dì yī zhōu jiù wèi jū piào fáng bǎng shǒu.
    This movie ranked first at the box office in its opening week.

Origin

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.

榜bǎngranking list
首shǒuhead

榜 (ranking list) and 首 (head) combine to mean the first place on a list.

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
旁
旁páng榜
Same sound today

榜 pairs 木, a tree or wood element, with 旁, which is used for the sound.

Open 榜 →

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

The shape comes from an old drawing of an animal's head, showing a long mouth and horns; the version with hair became 首.

Open 首 →
Appears in
Success & Failure

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