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从头至尾 (cóng tóu zhì wěi) — from start to finish; from beginning to end

Definition

A set phrase meaning 'from start to finish / the whole way through' — more emphatic and literary than plain 从头到尾, often emphasizing that every part is involved.

verb
from start to finishfrom beginning to end

Examples

  • 从头至尾。
    Tā cóng tóu zhì wěi kàn le yí biàn nà běn shū.
    He read that book from cover to cover.
  • 从头至尾。
    Wǒ cóng tóu zhì wěi dōu zài rèn zhēn tīng.
    I listened attentively from beginning to end.
  • 从头至尾。
    Zhè ge gù shi cóng tóu zhì wěi dōu hěn jīng cǎi.
    This story is wonderful from start to finish.

Origin

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 從; 从 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalk
Sound part声符shēngfú
从
从cóng從cóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 從 pairs 辵 (walk) with 从, which gives the sound; the character was originally written 从.

Open 从 →

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 →

An abstract idea shown by a mark or a diagram rather than by a picture of an object.

至 is drawn as an arrow stuck into the ground.

Open 至 →

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The form 尾 combines 尸 (person) and 毛 (hair; feather).

Open 尾 →
Appears in
Idioms & Set PhrasesOrder & Arrangement

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