源头 (yuán tóu) — source, fountainhead | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

源头 stresses the very beginning point of a flow — usually physical (a river) or figurative (a problem, inspiration). 来源 is the broader 'source/origin' for information or goods; 源泉 is more literary, often for emotions or creativity.

noun

sourcefountainhead

Examples

源头。
Zhè tiáo hé de yuán tóu zài xuě shān lǐ.
The source of this river is in the snowy mountains.
源头。
Wǒ men bì xū zhǎo dào wèn tí de yuán tóu.
We must find the source of the problem.
源头。
Yīn yuè shì líng gǎn de yuán tóu.
Music is the source of inspiration.

Origin

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.

头tóubeginning

源 points to a water source and 头 to its beginning, so the whole means a source.

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

水水shuǐwater

Sound part声符shēngfú

原

原yuán源yuán

Same sound today

源 combines 水 (water) and 原 (origin): 水 points to water, and 原 gives the sound.

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

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.

Appears in

HSK 3.0 Level 7-9 Abstract Concepts

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