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牵头 (qiān tóu) — to take the lead (in an initiative, project, etc.); to coordinate or organize; to act as a go-between or mediator (e.g. in matchmaking)

Definition

牵头 (qiāntóu) means to take the lead and organize a group effort, with separable verb 牵的头. Pairs with 带头 (lead by example); for mediating disputes use 调解.

verb
to take the lead (in an initiative, project, etc.)to coordinate or organizeto act as a go-between or mediator (e.g. in matchmaking)

Examples

  • 牵头。
    Zhè ge xiàng mù yóu wǒ men bù mén qiān tóu.
    Our department is taking the lead on this project.
  • 。
    Zhè cì hé zuò shì tā qiān de tóu.
    He took the lead in this collaboration.
  • 牵头，。
    Tā cháng gěi péng you qiān tóu, cù chéng le hǎo jǐ duì.
    She often acts as a matchmaker for friends and has arranged several couples.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

牵qiānlead; pull
头tóuhead

牵 means to lead or pull and 头 means head, literally leading by the head, hence taking 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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 牽; 牵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
牛牛niúcow, ox
Sound part声符shēngfú
玄
玄xuán牽qiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 牽 is built from 玄 and 牛, an ox, giving the picture of leading an ox by hand. The simplified 牵 is a later shorthand.

Open 牵 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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