頭
頭·head, top, leader
- On-yomi
- トウズ
- Kun-yomi
- あたまかしら
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 頭 | あたま | head |
| 先頭 | せんとう | the lead, the front |
| 頭痛 | ずつう | headache |
| 店頭 | てんとう | shopfront, over the counter |
Example sentences
朝から頭が痛いです。
あさからあたまがいたいです。
My head has hurt since this morning.
彼が列の先頭に立っている。
かれがれつのせんとうにたっている。
He is standing at the head of the line.
ひどい頭痛で薬を飲みました。
ひどいずつうでくすりをのみました。
I took medicine for a bad headache.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 頭痛 as *とうつう — it uses the ズ reading, ずつう
- Saying 頭がいい as 'good head' in English word order — it means clever
Memory aid
Picture it
豆 (bean) beside 頁 (a head seen in profile) — a bean-shaped head on a neck.
Vocabulary using this kanji
- 頭痛ずつうheadache
- 頭に来るあたまにくるto get angry, to lose one's temper
- 頭あたまhead
- 没頭するぼっとうするto be immersed in
- 頭が下がるあたまがさがるto be impressed; to take one's hat off to
- 頭が上がらないあたまがあがらないto be unable to hold one's head up before (someone); to be deeply indebted to
- 頭を抱えるあたまをかかえるto be at a loss; to be troubled
- 頭が固いあたまがかたいstubborn; inflexible
- 頭を冷やすあたまをひやすto cool one's head; to calm down
- 先頭せんとうthe head, the lead, the front (of a line)
- 頭脳ずのうbrains, intellect, mind (as a thinking faculty)
- 毛頭もうとうnot in the least
Quick check
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What does the kanji 頭 mean?