盖头 (gài tou) — red bridal veil (traditional Chinese wedding head covering)

Definition

A red cloth veil traditionally worn by the bride in a Chinese wedding, lifted by the groom during the ceremony. Distinct from a Western-style bridal veil; it covers the head and face.

noun
red bridal veil (traditional Chinese wedding head covering)
Measure word · 块

Examples

  • 盖头。
    Xīn niáng tóu shàng dài zhe hóng sè de gài tou.
    The bride wore a red bridal veil on her head.
  • 盖头。
    Xīn láng qīng qīng xiān qǐ le tā de gài tou.
    The groom gently lifted her bridal veil.
  • “盖头”。
    Zhè shǒu mín gē lǐ chàng dào "xiān qǐ nǐ de gài tou lái".
    This folk song sings 'Lift your veil'.

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.

盖gàicover
头tóusuffix

盖 refers to covering, and 头 turns it into the bridal veil.

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 蓋; 盖 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艸艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
盍
盍hé蓋gài
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 蓋 pairs 艸, grass, with 盍 for sound. It was a thatch, and it took on cover meanings after 盍 was borrowed for “why not”.

Open 盖 →

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 →

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