頭
head · counter for large animals
Details
Description
Head - the head itself, and therefore the lead: first in line, at the top, in charge.
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of bean and head. Shape of head.
Symbolism
Head, brain, lead. Represents leadership.
Component Breakdown
豆 + head
Words & Expressions
Words written with 頭
Four-Character Compounds
心頭滅却
しんとうめっきゃく
clearing one's mind of all worldly thoughts
陣頭指揮
じんとうしき
taking command of a corps in a battle; command exercised by the leader of a group
低頭平身
ていとうへいしん
prostrating oneself
徹頭徹尾
てっとうてつび
thoroughly; through and through; out and out
平身低頭
へいしんていとう
prostrating oneself; kowtowing; going down on one's knees
羊頭狗肉
ようとうくにく
crying wine and selling vinegar; deceptive advertisement
竜頭蛇尾
りゅうとうだび
strong beginning and weak ending; anticlimax
頭寒足熱
ずかんそくねつ
keeping the head cool and feet warm
寡頭政治
かとうせいじ
oligarchy
百尺竿頭
ひゃくせきかんとう
the highest state of one's enlightenment; the highest level one can attain
牛頭馬頭
ごずめず
horse-headed and ox-headed demons in the Buddhist hell
頭脳明晰
ずのうめいせき
being clearheaded; having a keen (sharp, brilliant) mind
蓬頭垢面
ほうとうこうめん
(with) unkempt hair and dirty face; being indifferent to one's personal appearance
Proverbs & Idioms
頭隠して尻隠さず
あたまかくしてしりかくさず
Hide the head but not the bottom
A partial cover-up that fails
Poetry
鶏頭の十四五本もありぬべし
There must be a good fourteen or fifteen cockscombs standing there.
Anime & Manga
かぐや様は告らせたい～天才たちの恋愛頭脳戦～
Kaguya-sama: Love is War
A well-known work with 頭 in its Japanese title.
頭文字[イニシャル]D
Initial D 1st Stage
A well-known work with 頭 in its Japanese title.
同居人はひざ、時々、頭のうえ。
My Roommate is a Cat
A well-known work with 頭 in its Japanese title.
頭文字D
Initial D
A well-known work with 頭 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
種田山頭火
Name contains 頭
Santōka Taneda was the pen-name of Shōichi Taneda , a Japanese author and haiku poet.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 頭 mean in Japanese?
頭 means head, counter for large animals. Head - the head itself, and therefore the lead: first in line, at the top, in charge.
How do you read 頭?
On'yomi: トウ、ズ、ト (TOU, ZU, TO). Kun'yomi: あたま、かしら、-がしら、かぶり (atama, kashira, gashira, kaburi).
How many strokes does 頭 have?
頭 has 16 strokes. Its radical is 頁 (page).
Is 頭 a good kanji for a tattoo?
頭 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means head, counter for large animals. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:head