TongTong
Sign in

对头 (duì tou) — (of a situation or relationship) to be on the right track; to be normal and proper

Definition

对头 as a predicate means a situation or relationship is going normally, properly, or smoothly. Often used after 很/不太 to comment on whether things are on track.

verb
(of a situation or relationship) to be on the right trackto be normal and proper

Examples

  • 对头，。
    Zhè jiàn shì bú tài duì tou, wǒ men yào xiǎo xīn.
    This matter isn't quite right — we need to be careful.
  • 对头，。
    Tā men liǎng rén de guān xì hěn duì tou, hé zuò dé hěn yú kuài.
    Their relationship is on good terms; they work together happily.
  • 对头，。
    Yí qiè dōu hěn duì tou, nǐ bú yòng dān xīn.
    Everything is fine — you don't need to worry.

Origin

Derived word
构词法gòucífǎ
后缀hòuzhuìSuffix

A fixed syllable at the end that turns the word into a noun, a person, a place or the like.

对duìright/correct
头tóusuffix

“对” contributes the sense of right or correct, while “头” completes the everyday word for being proper.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 對; 对 is its simplified writing.

For the traditional form 對, the shape comes from an early drawing of 丵 (a digging tool), 土 (earth), and 又 (a hand); it may have meant developing land.

Open 对 →

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 →
Appears in
Good & Bad

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.