头顶

• Pinyin: tóu dǐng
• Hanzi breakdown: 头 = head; 顶 = 丁 + 页 (head) — top, peak

Meaning

Top of the head; crown; directly above; overhead.

The crown of the head or the space directly above. Used both literally for the physical top of one's head and figuratively for things positioned above or pressing down on someone.

Examples

1. 太阳正当头顶，热得人睁不开眼。 The sun was directly overhead — so hot you couldn't open your eyes.
2. 他头顶已经开始秃了，每天都在担心发际线。 The top of his head has already started going bald — he worries about his hairline every day.
3. 房贷压在头顶上，让他喘不过气来。 The mortgage pressing down on him leaves him gasping for breath.

Usage Guide

Context: physical description, metaphorical pressure

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 头顶的天空。(The sky above.)
• 头顶心。(The crown of the head.)

Don't Say

• 把后脑勺说成'头顶' (头顶 is the crown/top — the back of the head is 后脑勺)

Origin & History

头 means head, 顶 means top — the top of the head.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal