浇头 (jiāo tóu) — topping (sauce or garnish placed on noodles, rice, or other dishes)

Definition

A regional (esp. Jiangnan/Wu cuisine) term for the sauce, meat, or vegetables spooned over noodles or rice. It is NOT the noodle dish itself, but the topping on it.

noun
topping (sauce or garnish placed on noodles, rice, or other dishes)
Measure word · 份
Easily confused

Examples

  • 浇头。
    Zhè wǎn miàn de jiāo tóu hěn hǎo chī.
    The topping on this bowl of noodles is delicious.
  • 浇头。
    Wǒ xǐ huan chī yǒu ròu jiāo tóu de miàn.
    I like noodles with meat topping.
  • 浇头。
    jiāo tóu Kě yǐ xuǎn niú ròu huò jī ròu.
    You can choose beef or chicken topping.

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.

浇jiāopour
头tóusuffix

浇 means to pour; 头 completes the name for the thing poured on top.

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 澆; 浇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
堯
堯yáo澆jiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 澆 pairs 水 (water) with 堯 as a sound part; the simplified 浇 is a shorthand.

Open 浇 →

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 →

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