石头

• Pinyin: shí tou
• Hanzi breakdown: 石 = pictograph of a rock or cliff face; 头 = noun suffix in spoken Chinese (literally head)

Meaning

Stone; rock. A hard, solid piece of mineral matter found in nature.

The everyday word for stone or rock. Used for everything from pebbles to boulders. Common in descriptions of nature, construction, and figurative expressions. 石 alone is more formal or literary, while 石头 is the spoken standard. Also appears in expressions like 搬起石头砸自己的脚 (lift a rock only to drop it on your own foot — to harm yourself through your own actions).

Examples

1. 河边有很多大大小小的石头。 There are many stones of all sizes by the river.
2. 小朋友往水里扔石头玩。 The children threw stones into the water for fun.
3. 这条路上到处都是石头，走路要小心。 This road is covered with rocks — be careful walking.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, outdoor activities, construction

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这块石头好重，搬不动。(This rock is so heavy I can't move it.)
• 他在河边捡了一块漂亮的石头。(He picked up a pretty stone by the river.)

Don't Say

• 给我一杯石头水。(There is no such thing as 石头水 — if you mean mineral water, say 矿泉水.)

Origin & History

石 is a pictograph showing a cliff face with a piece of rock beneath it. 头 is a common spoken noun suffix that does not add meaning.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal