头部 (tóu bù) — head (of a person or animal); top part, front s…

Definition

Literary/formal word for the 'head' of a person or animal, or the 'top/leading section' of an organization or list. Use 头 in everyday speech instead.

noun

head (of a person or animal)top partfront section (of an object, list, or organization)

Measure word · 个

头部，。
Tā de tóu bù shòu le shāng, xū yào bāo zā.
His head was injured and needs bandaging.
头部。
tóu bù Qǐ yè tōng cháng yǐn lǐng háng yè fāng xiàng.
Leading companies usually guide the direction of the industry.
头部。
Tā de míng zì pái zài míng dān de tóu bù.
His name is at the top of the list.

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.

部bùsection

“头” (head) specifies which “部” (section), giving the head or top part.

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 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.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

咅

咅pǒu部bù

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

部 pairs 咅, which gives the sound, with 邑. It originally named a place in today's Gansu.

Appears in