How to write 头 (tóu, “head”)
头, an HSK 2 character, is read tóu for “head” and “hair style”, and also tou (“suffix for nouns”). The traditional form is 頭, 16 strokes instead of 5. On its own it is an HSK 2 word; it also forms 头发 (“hair (on the head)”), 点头 (“to nod”) and 头痛 (“to have a headache”). Japanese keeps the traditional 頭, read tou (“head”).
- Pinyin
- tóu, tou
- Strokes
- 5
- HSK
- 2
- Radical
- 大 (“big”)
- Traditional
- 頭
Stroke by stroke
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
As an overlapping character it splits into ⺀, strokes 1–2; 大 (“big”, the radical), strokes 3–5, written the first part first.
- top leftdown and right
- top leftdown and right
- leftrightwards
- topdownwards → down and left
- bottomdown and right
Traditional form
- Simplified
- 头 · 5 strokes
- Traditional
- 頭 · 16 strokes · see its strokes
Trace it
Follow the numbers. Tracing help
Pinyin and meaning
| Pinyin | Meanings | Traditional | In words |
|---|---|---|---|
| tóu second tone | head; hair style; the top; end; beginning or end | 頭 | 头发 点头 头痛 抬头 |
| tou neutral tone | suffix for nouns | 頭 | 馒头 里头 木头 石头 |
- HSK 2025 syllabus
- level 2
- 2021 standard
- level 2
- HSK 2.0
- in a level 3 word
- Words with it
- 765 in CC-CEDICT
Words with 头
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 头 頭 | tóu | head; hair style HSK 2 |
| 头发 頭髮 | tóufa | hair (on the head) HSK 3 |
| 点头 點頭 | diǎntóu | to nod HSK 4 |
| 头痛 頭痛 | tóutòng | to have a headache HSK 4 |
| 抬头 抬頭 | táitóu | to raise one's head; to look up HSK 4 |
| 馒头 饅頭 | mántou | steamed bun HSK 4 |
| 里头 裡頭 | lǐtou | inside; interior HSK 5 |
| 低头 低頭 | dītóu | to bow the head; to yield HSK 5 |
| 木头 木頭 | mùtou | wood; log HSK 5 |
| 石头 石頭 | shítou | stone HSK 5 |
HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).
Practice sheet
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Contain it:
HSK 2, in list order: