顶

• Pinyin: dǐng
• Hanzi breakdown: 顶 = 丁 (nail/phonetic) + 页 (page/head)

Meaning

Top; peak; to carry on one's head; to push up against. Also used as a measure word for hats and certain other objects.

顶 has several roles: as a noun it means the top or apex of something (山顶, 屋顶); as a verb it means to prop up or butt against; as a measure word it counts hats (一顶帽子). Colloquially it can also mean 'to support or endorse' (顶一下 = give a thumbs up).

Examples

1. 爬到山顶后，大家都感到非常兴奋。 After climbing to the mountain peak, everyone felt very excited.
2. 他头上顶着一大摞书走进了教室。 He walked into the classroom with a large stack of books balanced on his head.
3. 请给我一顶适合夏天的帽子。 Please give me a hat suitable for summer.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, everyday, shopping

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 站在楼顶可以看到整个城市。(Standing on the rooftop you can see the whole city.)
• 她顶着烈日在外面工作了一整天。(She worked outside under the blazing sun all day.)

Don't Say

• 不要混淆'顶'和'到达' — '顶'强调到达最高点，不能替代一般的'到达' (Don't confuse 顶 with simply 'to arrive' — 顶 emphasises reaching the highest point)

Origin & History

顶 originally depicted the top of the head, evolving to mean 'apex' or 'top of anything'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal