木头

• Pinyin: mù tou
• Hanzi breakdown: 木 = pictograph of a tree with branches and roots; 头 = 大 (big) + 一 (one) on top, meaning head or piece

Meaning

Wood; timber; log. Also used figuratively to describe a dull or unresponsive person.

The everyday word for wood as a material. Used both literally (这张桌子是木头做的 = this table is made of wood) and figuratively in casual speech to tease someone who is slow to react or emotionally unresponsive (你真是个木头 = you're such a blockhead). The figurative usage is mild and often humorous.

Examples

1. 这张椅子是用木头做的，坐起来很舒服。 This chair is made of wood and is very comfortable to sit in.
2. 院子里放着一堆木头，准备冬天烧火用。 There is a pile of wood in the yard, ready for burning in winter.
3. 你别像个木头一样站着，快过来帮忙！ Don't just stand there like a block of wood — come over and help!

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, materials, teasing

Tone: casual

Do Say

• 这个木头的质量不错。(This wood is of good quality.)
• 地板是木头的，很暖和。(The floor is wooden — it's very warm.)

Don't Say

• 请给我一个木头的水。(Don't use 木头 as a general adjective before unrelated nouns — 木头 describes objects made of wood, not attributes of liquids. Say 一杯水.)

Origin & History

木 is a pictograph of a tree; 头 means head or piece. Together they literally mean a piece or block of wood.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal