首级 (shǒu jí) — severed head of an enemy soldier (historical); a unit of merit counted by severed heads (historical)

Definition

Examples

• 在古代战争中，士兵把敌人的首级作为战功的证明。
  Zài gǔ dài zhàn zhēng zhōng, shì bīng bǎ dí rén de shǒu jí zuò wéi zhàn gōng de zhèng míng.
  In ancient wars, soldiers used enemy heads as proof of military merit.
• 他砍下了三个首级，因此得到了升迁。
  Tā kǎn xià le sān gè shǒu jí, yīn cǐ dé dào le shēng qiān.
  He cut off three heads and thus got a promotion.
• 小说里描写了将军数首级的场景。
  Xiǎo shuō lǐ miáo xiě le jiāng jūn shù shǒu jí de chǎng jǐng.
  The novel describes the scene of the general counting heads.