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断头 (duàn tóu) — to behead; to cut off the head; (slang) to die (from laughter, surprise, etc.); to be dead from something overwhelming; (of a broadcast/stream) to end abruptly; to be cut off

Definition

断头 literally means 'to cut off the head' (literal beheading or execution). In modern slang it's also used as an emphatic 'I'm dead!' after something overwhelming — like 笑死. In broadcasting it means the feed was cut off.

verb
to beheadto cut off the head(slang) to die (from laughter, surprise, etc.)to be dead from something overwhelming(of a broadcast/stream) to end abruptlyto be cut off

Examples

  • 。
    Gǔ dài huáng dì xià lìng duàn le nà ge rén de tóu.
    In ancient times, the emperor ordered that person's head cut off.
  • ，断头！
    Zhè ge xiào hua tài hǎo xiào le, wǒ duàn tóu le!
    This joke is so funny, I'm dead!
  • 断头，。
    Zhí bō hū rán duàn tóu le, guān zhòng dōu jué de hěn qí guài.
    The livestream suddenly ended, and the audience found it very strange.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

断duàncut off
头tóuhead

断 means to cut off and 头 means head, so the word means to cut off the head.

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 斷; 断 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 斷 uses 𢇍 (to cut) and 斤 (axe) together.

Open 断 →

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
Body PartsInjury & Disability

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