锤头 (chuí tóu) — hammerhead (the head of a hammer)

Definition

锤头 means the head of a hammer (the metal striking part), not the whole tool — for the whole hammer use 锤子. Refers specifically to the component that can be replaced or inspected separately.

noun
hammerhead (the head of a hammer)
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 锤头，。
    Zhè ge chuí tóu tài zhòng le, wǒ yòng qǐ lái hěn fèi jìn.
    This hammerhead is too heavy, I find it hard to use.
  • 锤头。
    Qǐng jiǎn chá yí xià chuí tóu shì fǒu láo gù.
    Please check if the hammerhead is secure.
  • 锤头。
    Tā bǎ jiù chuí tóu huàn chéng le xīn de.
    He replaced the old hammerhead with a new one.

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.

锤chuíhammer
头tóuhead

锤 gives the hammer and 头 gives the top part, so the word means the top part of a hammer.

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 錘; 锤 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 锤 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words it is 錘; in others it is 鎚.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
金金jīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
垂
垂chuí錘chuí
Same sound today

The traditional form 錘 pairs 金 (metal) with 垂, which gives its sound; the simplified 锤 is a later shorthand.

Open 锤 →

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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