箭头 (jiàn tóu) — (noun) arrowhead; tip of an arrow; (noun) arrow…

Definition

noun

arrowheadtip of an arrowarrow (as a symbol indicating direction)

Measure word · 个

箭头。
Zhè ge jiàn tóu shì gǔ dài rén yòng shí tou zuò de.
This arrowhead was made by ancient people using stone.
箭头。
Qǐng àn zhào jiàn tóu de zhǐ shì wǎng qián zǒu.
Please follow the arrow's instruction and go straight ahead.
箭头。
Dì tú shàng de hóng sè jiàn tóu biǎo shì nǐ xiàn zài de wèi zhì.
The red arrow on the map indicates your current location.

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.

箭 is an arrow and 头 is a tip, so the word names the tip of an arrow or an arrow-shaped sign.

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.

竹前箭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

竹竹zhúbamboo

Sound part声符shēngfú

前

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 竹 part points to bamboo, the material of arrows; the 前 part gives the sound.

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.

豆頁頭

Meaning part形符xíngfú

頁頁yèhead

Sound part声符shēngfú

豆

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.

Appears in