满头大汗 (mǎn tóu dà hàn) — drenched in sweat; sweating profusely (set phrase)

Definition

A vivid set phrase meaning 'drenched in sweat all over one's head' — often from heat, exertion, or nervousness.

idiom
drenched in sweatsweating profusely (set phrase)

Examples

  • ，满头大汗。
    Tā pǎo le yì qiān mǐ, yǐ jīng mǎn tóu dà hàn le.
    He ran 1000 meters and is already drenched in sweat.
  • ，满头大汗。
    Tiān qì tài rè le, měi gè rén dōu shì mǎn tóu dà hàn.
    It's so hot that everyone is sweating profusely.
  • 满头大汗，。
    Tā jǐn zhāng dé mǎn tóu dà hàn, huà dōu shuō bù chū lái.
    He was so nervous that he was drenched in sweat and couldn't speak.

Origin

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 滿; 满 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
水水shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
㒼
㒼㒼滿mǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 滿 pairs 水, showing water, with 㒼, giving the sound. The simplified 满 is a later shorthand, not the original shape.

Open 满 →

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 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 大 is a picture of a person standing and facing forward, not of someone stretching their arms.

Open 大 →

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shuǐ
Sound part声符shēngfú
干
干gān汗hàn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

汗 has 水, the water form, beside 干; 水 relates to liquid sweat, while 干 gives the sound.

Open 汗 →

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